Employers and their insurance companies commonly deny or undercut workers’ compensation claims. This is a serious hardship if you can’t go back to work or can’t get the medical care you need. The Van Nuys workers’ compensation attorneys of Koszdin, Fields & Sherry will fight for the full benefits and compensation you deserve.
We don’t dabble in workers’ comp — it is the sole focus of our firm. We have represented thousands of injured workers across Southern California since 1955, and all of the firm’s partners are certified specialists* in workers’ compensation law.
Talk to one of our Van Nuys workers’ compensation attorneys.
Call today for a free consultation if you were hurt in a workplace accident or developed a work-related disability. From our office in Van Nuys, we serve clients throughout Greater Los Angeles.
Workers’ compensation can be very complex, and many injured workers do not understand their rights or are reluctant to exercise them. Our worker compensation lawyers have the knowledge, resources, and experience to fully develop your case, with the goal of obtaining the maximum injured worker benefits to which you are entitled to:
For more information, see our Workers’ Compensation FAQ.
If you sustain an injury on the job, there are various steps that you need to take both immediately and in the days and weeks that follow the work injury. At Koszdin, Fields, & Sherry , our Van Nuys work injury attorneys recommend that victims take the following steps in these cases:
If you or somebody you care about has been injured or sustained an illness due to the workplace, you need to be aware that there are various time limits for filing a claim. The first time limit in place under California workers’ compensation laws has to do with how quickly victims must report the injury or illness to their employer. Under the law, an employee must report their on-the-job injury or illness to the employer within 30 days from the onset of that injury or illness. In most cases, this will trigger the workers’ compensation claims process on the employer’s end, which means they will fill out the forms necessary and then provide notification to the workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
There are various rules in place that determine when the 30-day period begins. If a traumatic work injury occurs, there is generally no doubt about when the incident happened. Traumatic and acute injuries need to be reported 30 days after they occur. However, for injuries that develop over longer periods of time, such as repetitive motion injuries or an occupational illness, determining the exact date of the onset of the injury or illness can be difficult. In general, these injuries need to be reported within 30 days from the time a person receives a diagnosis of the injury or illness.
In many cases, a person who sustains a workplace injury does not need to seek medical care immediately. Sometimes, the full extent of an injury or illness is not known right away. In these cases, it may be necessary for an injured worker to receive care well after the initial 30-day reporting. However, as long as the initial report was made within the 30-day timeline, the injury victim has one year from the date the injury or illness occurs to file a claim with the workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
There are various reasons why a Van Nuys workers’ compensation claim may be denied. If you do find out that your employer or the insurance carrier has denied a claim, do not panic. Your next step needs to be to speak to a Van Nuys workers’ compensation attorney who can help you through this process. There are various legitimate reasons why an employer or an insurance carrier could deny a work injury claim. This can include the following:
However, it is important to bear in mind that employers and workers’ compensation insurance carriers often say that their denial of a claim is legitimate when it really may not be. There have been many times when our attorneys help clients secure compensation even after their claim has been denied.
Our legal team welcomes all workplace injury and illness claims, from back injuries and accidents in the workplace to repetitive motion injuries, mental stress claims, and side effects of work injuries. We encourage you to reach out to us early in the process, but we can still represent you if your claim is denied or delayed.
For a free consultation with Van Nuys workers’ compensation attorneys, call 818-812-5639 or (toll-free) 800-747-3447 or contact us online. Our staff is bilingual, and we can arrange interpreters for other languages. You pay no fees unless we win your case.
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*Certified by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as specialists in workers’ compensation law
Any person who makes or causes to be made knowingly false or fraudulent material statements or material representation for the purpose of obtaining or denying workers’ compensation benefits or payment is guilty of a felony. Toda aquella persona que sablendo tapa o causa que se produzca cual quier falsas o fraudulentas alegaciones o representación de trabajadores es culpable de un crimen mayor.