Safety hazards exist in all industries, and most workers in California face risks of suffering physical injuries or contracting diseases. Workers' compensation claims are proof that some workers in some industries face cancer risks of which they are not aware. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the American Cancer Society, and international authorities have identified occupations that pose exceptional cancer risks.
Workers' compensation: Paralyzed worker wins third-party claim
The state-regulated insurance program typically covers workers in California. Employers must carry workers' compensation insurance, which pays benefits that include medical expenses and lost wages. Workers who suffer permanent disabilities in work-related accidents might be awarded additional benefits. It is a no-fault program that pays benefits regardless of who was at fault, and workers may only sue employers if there is proof of gross negligence. However, if an independent third party causes injuries to workers, those employees might have grounds to seek damage recovery through the civil justice system.
How many workers' compensation claims result from complacency?
Most industries have inherent dangers, and the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health prescribe industry-specific safety standards. Employers must take the necessary steps to protect employees from known hazards, even those who are seasoned workers with years of experience. Safety authorities often warn about the dangers of complacency, which is the cause of many workers' compensation claims that are filed each year.
Expected high temperatures can bring workers' compensation claims
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health urged employers to heed the high temperatures that have been predicted and protect workers from excessive heat exposure. Temperatures are expected to reach up to 100 degrees in the coming weeks. Taking the necessary precautions can prevent heat illness, and yet, each year the state-regulated workers' compensation program receives benefits claims from workers who were not protected.
Workers' compensation covers trench-related injury claims
Construction workers in California and elsewhere risk their lives whenever they enter trenches. The number of workers' compensation benefits claims that follow cave-ins is concerning, and authorities hope that the upcoming Trench Safety Stand Down from June 17 to 21 would prevent future wall collapses. Although trenches and excavations are both human-made cuts or depressions in the surface of the earth, trenches are those of which the depth is greater than the width, with widths not exceeding 15 feet.
Workers' compensation covers own-fault injuries
Authorities say a significant percentage of workers suffer workplace injuries attributable to their own fault. Fortunately, the California workers' compensation insurance program is a no-fault system that pays benefits regardless of who caused a work-related accident. Benefits claims data shows there are some contributing factors that lead to many preventable work injuries.
Workers' compensation for first reponders exposed to fentanyl
First responders in California and elsewhere face severe consequences due to exposure to opioids such as fentanyl. Although they are covered by the state-regulated workers' compensation insurance system, the risks could be life-threatening. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health says emergency workers could inhale aerosols or powders, ingest them or they could come in contact with mucous membranes, particularly involving the eyes.
Stagehand's death might bring workers' compensation claim
During the preparation of the grounds at the Empire Polo Club in Indio in the week leading up to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, a tragic workplace accident claimed the life of a stagehand. Although his family will be eligible for financial assistance with the funeral and burial costs through the California workers' compensation system, nothing can ever make up for a loved one's death. The deceased worker was a 49-year-old San Diego man.
Most common injuries cited on workers' compensation claims
California workers in all industries will be aware of the many safety hazards they face every day. While each job might have unique dangers, safety authorities say there are a few basic hazards that threaten employees in all work environments. These are hazards that cause millions of non-fatal injuries nationwide each year, giving rise to workers' compensation benefits claims.
Workers' compensation death benefits cannot ease father's grief
A California father of an electrician assistant says the fact that his deceased son's employer received a fine of almost $40,000 does not provide him comfort because the incident that caused his son's death should never have happened. He might feel the same way about the workers' compensation death benefits for which the surviving family members might be eligible. The man says the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health is glossing over his son's workplace death without providing answers about why the tragedy happened.
