What Workers Comp Benefits Are Available In California?

If you ever suffer a work-related injury in California, it is important to remember that you may be eligible for several different types of workers compensation benefits ― benefits designed to replace lost income and help you get the medical treatment you need.

For instance, under California workers compensation law, injured workers may be entitled to receive:

• Medical benefits: Your employer’s insurance company, or your employer themselves if they are self-insured, must pay for all medical costs associated with your work-related injury, including all future medical expenses. While you may be able to pick your own doctor under certain circumstances, it is also possible that your employer will send you to a specific doctor or ask you to choose from a group of doctors.
• Disability benefits: In California, disability benefits are also available to help cover lost wages, although the amount and duration of these benefits can vary depending on the wages you have actually lost and whether your injury is long-term. In fact, there are two types of disability payments: permanent and temporary.
• Vocational rehabilitation benefits: You may also be entitled to receive vouchers for vocational training, particularly if your injury creates limitations that make a new job necessary.
• Return-to-Work fund: If your permanent disability benefits are disproportionately low when compared to your loss of earnings, you may also be entitled to supplemental payments from the Return-To-Work fund.

You should keep in mind, however, that the information above is merely a simple outline of the main workers comp benefits you may be able to collect in California following a workplace injury. To learn more, it is always best to contact an experienced workers comp law firm as soon as possible.