Work-Related Injuries in Moreno Valley’s Booming Warehouse-Driven Economy
Moreno Valley is undisputedly one of Inland Empire’s fastest growing economies. With the rise of warehouse facilities across the city, there is a demand for skilled laborers. Due to their very nature, warehouse industry jobs require both body strength and high levels of concentration. Many warehouse environments are commonly dangerous workplaces. Warehouse employees, frequently have to look out for forklifts, sharp objects, machinery, or dangerous debris the workplace. With these hazardous conditions, job related accidents are often experienced, even with the many safety procedures enacted by a company or facility.
Injured at Your Place of Work
In some cases, work-related injuries are unavoidable despite the care you and/or your employer take. The actions you take immediately following the injury may affect your rights to collect compensation for damages. You should:
- Report Your Injury Immediately
Do not attempt to put off the incident and/or procrastinate to tell your supervisor about your injury. Immediately report the work-related injury and make a record of it. Once you communicate the event to your supervisor, the supervisor should supply you with all the appropriate forms that allow you to get help for your injury (as well as any copies of documents you completed).
Filling out claim forms timely and accurately will avoid delays in your benefits. It is important that you indicate all areas of your body that you feel were affected or injured by the work-related occurrence.
2. Seek Medical Attention
Do not delay seeking medical attention following the injury. Immediately notify your workplace supervisor if you need medical assistance. Waiting to seek medical attention can drastically affect your worker’s compensation claim, as well as your condition. When speaking to the medical professional assigned to your case, accurately describe how your injury or ailment occurred. Communicate all the parts of your body that have been affected or hurt by your work-related injury. Undergo any and all testing requested to fully document the extent of injuries.
Other Important Factors to Consider
If you have sustained injuries resulting from a work-related injury or ailment you should still be proactive once other parties are involved. Just because medical profesionals, union representatives, and company representatives are engaged with your claim, you can still protect your rights and future benefits by doing the following:
- Attend every single one of your medical appointments.
- Retain copies or records and medical related forms.
- Keep copies of off work orders and medical notes excusing you from work.
- Keep copies of all of the documents you received from your supervisor, employer, and/or your insurance carrier concerning your work-related injury.
- Be sure to keep an accurate account of all the days you took off work, the dates in which you received medical treatment, mileage and expenses related to the doctor visits and receipts for medical and prescription costs you paid for.
- Considering Legal Assistance
If you suffered an injury while on any job or while employed at a warehouse, you should know that there are benefits that you may be able to qualify for under California Workers’ Compensation and even personal injury laws. If you were injured on the job, an attorney could assist you in filing for claims and benefits, medical treatment and evaluation and disaiblity payments. Future medical care, future benefits and an award for any permanent disagility will also be the focus of your attorney.
Even though you have a workers’ compensation claim, you must not stop there. A qualified attorney can look into the cause of the accident and determined whether you may be entitled to additional compensation due to the fault of others. This can be extremely important to you and your future.
An experienced attorney can oversee your case and champion for your rights, saving you both time and money. Heiting & Irwin are an experienced and dedicated team of attorneys who will lead you through filing a worker’s compensation claim and ensure that your rights as a worker in California are not trampled or disregarded. You can learn more about their firm here, or view their contact information on this page.
