Workers’ Comp Back Injury Settlement in LA, California
Many people have jobs that leave them vulnerable to serious back injuries at work. If you’ve been hurt on the job and are seeking a workers’ comp back injury settlement, a back injury attorney in Los Angeles can help. Contact Kenton Koszdin Law Office today for a free consultation.
How Our Professional Los Angeles Back Injury Attorneys Can Help You in Suing for a Work-Related Back Injury Claim?
If you have suffered a back injury at your job in Los Angeles or the surrounding areas of Palmdale, Van Nuys, or Bakersfield, a back injury workers’ comp attorney from Kenton Koszdin Law Office can help you secure a fair workers’ compensation settlement.
The workers’ compensation claims process for compensation for back injury at work can be complicated, especially if your employer’s insurance company believes you contributed to causing your injury.
Some people may see delays in their claims being paid or challenges to the legitimate medical expenses they require for recovery. We are ready to help you secure the workers’ comp payout for back injury you deserve. We will:
Conduct a thorough investigation into your accident to hold all parties responsible
Protect you from intrusive and manipulative insurance companies
Work with experts in the field to ensure that your case is properly valued
Gather solid evidence to build a strong case for a fair settlement offer
Note evidence that shifts blame away from you
Years of experience working with workers’ comp back injury settlements in California gives your workers’ compensation lawyer a deep understanding of the value of your workers’ compensation case.
Trust is important.
What Is the Average Workers’ Comp Back Injury Settlement in California?
The average workers’ comp settlement ranges from $20,000 to $50,000, although the workers’ comp settlement often depends on the injury’s seriousness. Your case value may also depend on what kinds of compensation you’re eligible for, such as whether you require disability compensation or supplemental job displacement.
Your workers’ compensation wage benefits depend on your pre-injury income, so the workers’ compensation payout for back injury from your employer will likely use this benefit calculation, too.
Furthermore, an injured worker who becomes permanently disabled because of their workplace back injury may also be eligible for a lump sum settlement from the government based on the schedule of benefits allocated for their injury.
Common Types of Back Injuries
Workplace back injuries can have many causes, usually stemming from repetitive motion, overexertion, direct trauma, or one of these situations:
Slipping or tripping and falling
Improperly lifting heavy objects
Pulling or pushing heavy objects
Bending over repeatedly (or another repetitive bending or twisting motion)
Poor posture and inadequate support for the back
These may not be the only causes of back injuries suffered by injured workers; your workers’ compensation attorney can tell you if you qualify for benefits.
Back injuries happen when the back muscles, bones, and connective tissue are damaged through overuse or other destruction. Back injuries include damage to the muscles, backbone, spinal column, and tailbone. Any one of these conditions can be eligible for workers’ compensation settlement for back injury.
Sprain and Strain
Strains and sprains involve damage to the tendons and ligaments in your back, which can happen in a high-impact fall or through chronic overuse. These are among the most commonly reported workplace injuries, but prompt medical treatment gives you a good chance of recovery.
Fractured Vertebrae
Your spinal column comprises 26 vertebrae, small bones that can fracture when you’re exposed to excessive force, including a fall onto the hard ground or being struck by something.
Vertebrae can either compress (when the bones collapse and compress, often due to overuse) or burst (when the bones break and shards are dispelled into the spinal tissue, usually from impact).
Ruptured Disc
The bones in the spinal column are separated by cushioning discs consisting of a hard outer layer and a softer inner layer. When these are damaged, the inner layer is exposed through a tear in the outer, putting pressure on the spinal cord.
A ruptured disc can be extremely painful, and the slipped disc’s pressure on the spine can cause difficulty moving and compress the spinal nerves.
Bulging Disc
Spinal discs don’t have to rupture to cause serious pain or impact your ability to move your back. Bulging discs happen when the discs in the spine shift or get damaged, compressed, or otherwise misshapen.
A bulging or herniated disc can put pressure directly on the spine and often requires surgery; a herniated disc workers’ comp settlement in California can help pay for surgery and physical rehabilitation.
Nerve Damage
The spinal column contains 31 major nerves, allowing the different parts of the body to communicate with one another and the brain to direct your overall movement. Damage to just one of these nerves can interrupt communication and limit your movement. Nerve damage can be very painful or cause numbness in your limbs or extremities.
Get the Compensation You Deserve After a Workplace Back Injury
Don’t suffer through back injury pain. Without medical treatment, minor damage can lead to permanent disability. Contact Kenton Koszdin Law Office today for a free review of your case!
Treatments for Workers’ Compensation Back Injuries
Proper medical treatment for back injuries begins with a visit to the doctor, either the one indicated by your employer or the emergency room if the injury is sudden and severe. The treatments for your back injury depend on your diagnosis.
Physical therapy (PT) is usually recommended at the initial stages for mild to moderate back injuries or to help you heal after surgery. It can help decrease pain by taking pressure off the spinal cord or increase motion carefully and gently. You may have some “homework” exercises to complete on your own to strengthen your back, including both passive and active modalities.
Epidural steroid injections are common for lower back pain, including to treat herniated or bulging discs. They may be used concurrently with physical therapy to help you regain your range of motion after a spinal cord injury while you complete PT exercises.
The process involves injecting a steroid medication into the epidural space between the spinal cord and nerve roots. You may also receive this kind of treatment to help improve your maximum medical improvement.
A Laminectomy is usually recommended after more conservative treatment like PT and steroid injections for spinal cord injury. It is a surgical procedure to remove some or all of the lamina, a vertebral bone. It can ease pressure on the spinal cord and nerve roots or can resolve a herniated disc.
Laminectomy performed in conjunction with a spinal fusion is a more invasive treatment usually reserved for severe back injuries. The procedure is similar to the laminectomy but also involves connecting one or more vertebrae to better stabilize the spinal column.
Spinal fusions may be performed on all areas of the spine but leave that portion more vulnerable to damage from sudden trauma.
What Are the Medical Benefits for Back Injuries?
When you file for workers’ compensation benefits after a workplace back injury, you may receive a settlement from the insurance company or be awarded your compensation at trial.
These aren’t the only benefits available to you, though. California workers who are injured on the job may also be eligible to collect temporary or permanent disability payments or a supplemental job displacement payment to have their medical care covered.
Medical Care
California law requires workers’ compensation claims administrators to approve and pay for all medical bills for the injured worker, including current and anticipated future medical care.
Sometimes, though, the necessity of a certain treatment may be disputed, in which case you may need to be examined by a qualified medical evaluator (QME). If this result does not satisfy the claims administrator’s requirements, you may need to take legal action.
Temporary Disability Benefits
If you miss work and lose wages due to work-related back injuries, you are entitled to temporary disability payments. The average settlement is calculated as 2/3 of the gross wages of your pre-injury job, although it must fall within state minimum and maximum rates.
Supplemental Job Displacement Benefits
If you cannot do the essential job duties of the position you held before the injury, you may qualify for a supplemental displacement voucher. This pays for vocational and job skills training to help you land a position with comparable wages to your previous job.
Permanent Disability Benefits
Injured workers who suffer a lasting disability due to a work-related injury may be entitled to permanent disability payments if their injuries impact their ability to earn a living. Even if you can work again, you may still be eligible for these benefits.
Our Back Injury Attorney Is Here to Help You Get a Workplace Back Injury Settlement in California
The California workers’ compensation attorneys at Kenton Koszdin Law Office have decades of combined experience, and we bring this to work for you. Our success is due to our unique and personalized approach to each case, and we have received high awards for our workers’ compensation settlements.
We protect people who have back pain and permanent disability due to injuries suffered in the workplace and help them pursue the compensation they’re entitled to. We can also help families receive lump sum death benefits from a fatal work injury.
Results Matter — We’re the Legal Team You Need
Fair compensation for your work-related injuries can save your health and finances.
In one case, our client developed carpal tunnel syndrome and fibromyalgia over many years at a mail processing facility. Multiple insurers denied her workers’ compensation claim. We took her case to trial to obtain compensation of $267,000 plus medical care for the rest of her life.
In another case, our client was unable to work due to multiple hand, neck, and back injuries. The workers’ comp insurers for the hotel where she worked denied her claim of total permanent disability. We tried the case and obtained lifetime medical care and a 100% total permanent disability award worth $246,000.
