Specific Work Injury Claims in Los Angeles

Workers’ Compensation for One-Time Accidents & Injuries

Workers’ compensation law recognizes two main types of work-related injuries: specific injuries and cumulative injuries. Whereas cumulative injuries occur over time due to continuous, collective trauma, specific injuries result from single accidents and one-time events. As such, specific injuries are relatively easy to detect and are rarely missed by employees. They are also less likely to be disputed (though disputes may still arise) than cumulative work injuries.

If you suffered a specific work-related injury, you are likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. We encourage you to reach out to our Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorneys at the Barkhordarian Law Firm to learn how our firm can represent you and your rights. Since 2012, we have been proudly standing up for injured workers throughout the Greater Los Angeles Area. We are happy to discuss your case, answer your questions, and inform you of your legal options.

Examples of Specific Work Injuries

In the context of workers’ compensation, a “specific injury” is any work-related injury caused by a single event, such as a workplace accident. Unlike cumulative injuries, such as occupational diseases and repetitive motion injuries, specific injuries are timely in nature.

Examples of common specific work injuries include:

• Accidental amputation/loss of a limb
• Loss of one or both eyes
• Concussions and other head/brain injuries
• Burns
• Broken bones/fractures
• Muscle sprains, strains, and tears
• Spinal cord injuries
• Serious cuts, scrapes, and abrasions
• Blunt force trauma/internal bleeding or organ damage

Specific injuries are often catastrophic in nature, requiring immediate medical attention and ongoing treatment. Employees who suffer these types of injuries may be unable to return to work for weeks or months—or they may become permanently disabled. This can add significant financial hardship to an already-difficult situation.

The good news is that, if your specific injury is work-related, you are most likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, including medical and wage replacement benefits.

Common Causes of Specific Work Injuries

Specific injuries are often caused by one-time accidents and other traumatic events.

Some of the most common workplace and work-related accidents include:

• Slips, trips, and falls
• Commercial vehicle accidents
• Overexertion
• Falls to lower levels
• Electrocution
• Entanglement/crush accidents
• Machinery/equipment accidents
• Being struck by falling objects
• Contact with stationary objects
• Improper lifting
• Structure collapses

These and other catastrophic incidents often lead to severe, specific injuries. If you can demonstrate that the accident that caused your injury occurred at work or while you were working/carrying out any activities that benefitted your employer, you may be able to recover monetary benefits by filing a workers’ compensation claim.

What Compensation Is Available for Victims of Specific Work Injuries?

In California, workers’ compensation offers several different types of benefits to those who are injured at work or in the course and scope of their employment.

If you suffered a specific work-related injury, you may be eligible for the following workers’ compensation benefits:

• All costs associated with “reasonable and necessary” medical treatment
• Temporary partial disability and/or temporary total disability
• Permanent partial disability and/or permanent total disability
• Supplemental job displacement (also known as “vocational rehabilitation”)

The exact type and value of benefits you may be able to recover will depend on various factors, such as the severity of your injury, whether you were hospitalized, what treatments were required, and whether you are able to perform light-duty work.

Can an Employer Deny a Specific Injury Claim?

It is relatively rare for employers or their insurance providers to deny specific injury workers’ compensation claims. Because these types of injuries generally result from obvious, on-the-job accidents, it is difficult for insurance companies to dispute an employee’s resulting injuries. However, this does not mean that your employer cannot or will not dispute or deny your claim.

In fact, your employer or their insurance company can deny your specific injury workers’ compensation claim on various grounds, including but not limited to:

• Insufficient medical evidence
• Lack of injury
• Failure to report the injury
• Waiting too long to report the injury
• Ineligibility based on employee’s classification
• “Horseplay” (employee negligence)

Your employer may even try to argue that the accident occurred outside of work or that you were not performing work-related duties when you were injured.

Why You Need an Attorney

It is important that you work with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer who can help you protect your rights and fight back against employer and insurance company disputes. At the Barkhordarian Law Firm, our Los Angeles specific injury workers’ compensation attorneys have been fighting for injured employees throughout the Greater Los Angeles Area for nearly a decade. We can handle the various legal details of your claim—including any disputes that may arise—while you focus on getting the treatment you need to get better.

We believe in developing close relationships with our clients by providing a high level of communication and fostering attorney-client interactions based on honesty, reliability, and trust. Our goal is to guide you through the legal process and recover the benefits you deserve as quickly and cost-effectively as possible.