Pacific Workers' August 2019
Pacific Post August 2019
Common Workers’ Compensation Questions What Do YOU Know About Workers’ Compensation?
Here at Pacific Workers, we love connecting with our clients. We’re invested in the health and well-being of our community, which is why we specialize in workers’compensation. We want to ensure the people who are the backbone of our community are properly taken care of in their time of need. One way we can make this happen is by providing them with the right tools they can use immediately in the case of a work-related accident. The primary tool we provide is knowledge. We get questions frequently, so we thought it would be helpful to answer some of the most common ones. This is one of the most common questions we get, so we thought it would be beneficial to outline some factors that affect your return to work. The two main factors are the extent of the injury and the recommendation from your primary physician, and they play into each other. The extent of the injury will help the primary physician make their decision. While they’re determining when you can go back to work, they may suggest a variety of other options, including working restricted hours, being placed on light duty, or assisting with a modified project. When should I go back to work after an injury?
and if they do, your employer may be able to accommodate those restrictions, allowing you to return to work. The first factor is the work restrictions set in place by your doctor, based on your injury. However, if your employer cannot work around the restrictions, you may have to wait to return to work.
How long after an injury can you file a claim?
Each state varies on the time period in which you can claim a workplace injury. For California, you have one year from the date of the incident to file your claim. If you file a claim before the year is up and you still get denied, there may be some ways you can fight that. The most important thing is to contact an experienced workers’compensation lawyer. Situations like these can be complicated to navigate, so it’s important to work with someone who already has a map for these kinds of cases. With total temporary disability, which pays out two-thirds of your average weekly income, you should be able to continue living as normal without worry. Unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. Even if your claim is accepted by the insurance company, there can be a substantial delay period. This delay period could leave you feeling pressured to use your paid time off (PTO). If you’re not fully compensated for any use of your PTO, the right workers’compensation attorney will ensure you’re properly paid for any time off you used while waiting for your claim to be accepted. While these are our most frequently asked questions, we know there are plenty more that race through your head when any situation like this occurs. For those burning questions you have now or for any information you’d like to know for the future, never hesitate to reach out. We’re here for you and our community. Give us a call at 833-722-9675 or visit our website anytime at PacificWorkers.com if you have any other questions. Do I have to use my PTO if I’m out because of a work-related injury?
Are you supposed to work when on workers’ comp?
As with most things in law, the answer can vary from case to case, as it depends on several variables. Your doctor may give you work restrictions,
“We want to ensure the people who are the backbone of our community are properly taken care of in their time of need.”
–The Lawyers For Injured Workers
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Factors in Denied Cl Workers’ Comp C
After an accident, you’re already putting in so much effort into recovering, so the last thing you want to worry about is your claim being denied. However, in our industry, we see denied claims far too often. Here are some things to keep in mind when you’re filing a claim after a workplace accident.
Beating the Odds
Incident OccurredWithoutWitnesses While you can’t help that no one saw
It was a classic underdog setup on May 4 when the San Francisco Giants faced off against the Cincinnati Reds. The Giants hadn’t won at the Great American Ball Park in three years. They’d been trailing the Reds all game, resulting in a 3-10 score at the top of the sixth inning. Statistics showed the Reds had a 99% chance of winning. But then, the tide turned: The Giants held the Reds and started making runs. At the bottom of the ninth inning, the Giants were only one run behind their opponent with two outs and a pinch hitter, Stephen Vogt, up to bat. Raisel Iglesias pitched to Vogt, who took a confident swing, and … 3 of the Best Comebacks in Sports History Vogt’s home run tied the game, and Evan Longoria followed with another run in the 11th inning to end the game in the Giants’favor at 12- 11. Those watching saw sports history being made. Here are three more tales of beating the odds. Houston Rockets vs. San Antonio Spurs: The 2004 Miracle There’s no“i”in team. But that didn’t stop Rockets’player Tracy McGrady from scoring a heroic 13 points in the final 33 seconds of this 2004 basketball game against the San Antonio Spurs. Those final points resulted in a victory for the Rockets, boosting their rankings and confidence. USWomen’s National Team vs. Brazil: 2011World Cup Hope Having scored within two minutes of kickoff, things were looking up for the U.S. women’s team at the 2011World Cup. But two goals against U.S. keeper Hope Solo soon brought the score to 2-1, in favor of Brazil. It wasn’t until minute 122 of overtime that soccer legend AbbyWambach saved the day with a goal to tie up the game. Solo’s elegant deflection of several penalty kicks secured a U.S. win and took the team into the semifinals. Corrales vs. Castillo: 2005 Fight of the Year It’s said that the sheer force of will emanating from boxers Diego Corrales and José Luis Castillo was even felt by those outside the ring during the 2005 Fight of the Year. Ten rounds of intense bouts brought both men to exhaustion. During the 10th round, Corrales was knocked down twice in a matter of seconds and looked beaten. Miraculously, Corrales recovered from his second knockdown and landed a wicked right hook, knocking out Castillo and decisively winning the match. “It … is …outta here!”
your accident, there are a couple of things you can do to make the most out of the situation. You need to make sure you report the incident to your supervisor right after it takes place, if possible. Insurance companies typically question and investigate further if there were no witnesses at the scene.
Preexisting Conditions Making a case that the accident in question was caused by a preexisting condition is one of the most common ways an insurance company will try to deny a claim. Depending on the situation, if the work even aggravated a preexisting condition, the victim may be
Senegalese Lamb Skewers
Adapted froma recipe by famed Southern chef Sean Brock, these skewers are seasoned in a Senegalese style and served alongsidemustard-flavored onions. Ingredients: • 2 lbs trimmed leg of lamb, cut into 1-inch cubes • 1 tbsp peanut oil, plus more for grilling • Salt and black pepper, to taste For the onions: • 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar • 1/2 cup Dijon mustard • 1/2 tbsp agave nectar • 1 yellow onion, thinly sliced • Salt and white pepper, to taste Equipment • Bamboo skewers Directions: 1. In a bowl, coat lamb with 1 tbsp oil and generously season with salt and pepper. 2. In a mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and agave nectar. Toss in onions and season with salt and pepper. 3. Heat a grill or grill pan to medium and oil the grates. 4. Thread lamb on skewers and grill for 6–8 minutes. 5. Serve alongside onions. until desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium. Inspired by Food &Wine magazine
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ims aim Exceptions
What to Do When You’re Injured at Work Were You Hurt on the Job? Many employers and employees know what to do in the event of an accident. Unfortunately, even one misstep in the process could be the difference between being properly compensated and having your claim denied. Here are the initial steps you need to take to ensure you and your family are taken care of. Report the incident! In the event of an accident, you want to make sure your employer is notified. Notify your supervisor about the injury, and the way in which it occurred, as soon as possible. An injured employee who fails to inform his or her employer, in writing, within 30 days after the date of the accident causing the injury, may lose the right to workers’ compensation benefits. If there is no record of the incident, an insurance company could say that the situation never occurred and deny the claim, leaving you to handle medical costs on your own. Seek medical attention! Once you have reported the incident with your employer, if your employer has been authorized to participate in a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) or Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) program, you may be required to obtain medical treatment from a participating health care provider. File your claim! While California law states that you have a year to file your claim and receive benefits, it’s better to file as soon as you are able to. The longer you wait, the more prone insurance companies are to investigating the incident further and looking for anything to deny your claim. Depending on the extent of the injury, filing your claim immediately negates a lot of worries that it will be denied.
entitled to some workers’ comp benefits. Visiting your primary physician after the incident can help determine if your preexisting injury had anything to do with your work injury.
Inconsistencies Between Your Accident and Medical Reports If an insurance company doesn’t want to approve
your claim, they could potentially point out any little differences between your accident report and your medical statement. If you tell your employer the accident happened one way and describe the incident to your doctor a slightly different way, it could make or break your claim. Make sure you’re able to recall the incident consistently with as little deviation as possible. If you can keep these factors in mind, you will be one step closer to having your claim approved without any issues arising. Unfortunately, there are other ways a claim can be denied, so if you want to learn more, don’t hesitate to reach out. You can call us at 833-722-9675 or visit our website anytime at PacificWorkers.com.
Sudoku
These steps may seem intuitive, but neglecting even one of these steps can have a host of ramifications. Having a claim denied can take a toll on anyone. If you’ve had a claim denied or experienced any missteps in a work injury case, call us anytime at 833-722-9675 or visit us at PacificWorkers.com.
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Inside This Issue
What You Should Know in the Event of an Accident
3 of the Best Comebacks in Sports History
Factors in Denied Workers’ Comp Claims
Senegalese Lamb Skewers
Were You Hurt on the Job?
How These Rats Save Lives
Heroism From an Unexpected Source Meet the Rats That Sniff Out Land Mines
When you think of animals that could be considered heroic, giant rats probably aren’t the first creatures that pop into your head. Many people still think of them as filthy, disease-ridden little thieves that deserve eradication rather than a medal. But one nongovernmental organization (NGO) has proven just how heroic rats can be by training them to detect land mines and, in turn, save lives. Over 60 countries worldwide still feel the effects of wars past every time someone steps on an unactivated land mine. Dogs and metal detectors have traditionally been used to find and safely detonate land mines in these countries, but both methods are costly and time- consuming. A human with a metal detector could take up to four days to clear a 2,000 square foot area of any land mines, and people knew there had to be a faster, safer way.
have poor eyesight, they make up for that deficiency with an incredible sense of smell. A fully trained rat can sniff amounts of TNT as small as 29 grams and distinguish it from other industrial substances like motor oil and battery acid. Along with these innate qualities, pouched rats are easy and cheap to train. While a dog can only bond with and work for one master, rats will sniff out land mines under any person’s direction, so long as they get a tasty treat afterward. They can search a 2,000 square foot area in 20 minutes, saving humans from days of dangerous, meticulous work.
Between 1995 and 2015, APOPO’s rats found about 13,200 mines in Africa and Southeast Asia. Today, their programs are still going strong, proving that heroism can be found in even the most unlikely of animals.
Tanzania-based NGO APOPO found the answer: African giant pouched rats. These rats have several advantages over dogs and humans when it comes to detecting land mines. While they are bigger than your average
pet rat — some can be as large as a cat — they’re still light enough that they won’t detonate a land mine if they stand on one. Though they
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