Law Offices of Dr. Peter M. Schaeffer

California workers' compensation law provides several categories of benefits to employees who are injured or become ill because of their job. Understanding what you're entitled to is the first step to making sure you actually receive it. Our Riverside workers comp attorney pursues every benefit available under your claim, including: Medical treatment — All reasonable and necessary care related to your work injury, including doctor visits, surgery, physical therapy, prescriptions, chiropractic care, and durable medical equipment, with no out-of-pocket cost to you. Temporary disability (TD) paym

Nothing up front. California workers' compensation attorney fees are paid only out of the benefits we recover for you, are capped by statute (typically 9% to 15% of certain awards), and must be approved by a workers' compensation judge. If we don't recover anything, you owe no attorney fee.

You generally have 30 days to report your injury to your employer and one year from the date of injury to file a formal claim with the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board. Cumulative trauma and occupational disease claims have different rules. The safest move is to call our Riverside office as soon as possible so deadlines are protected.

No. California Labor Code section 132a makes it illegal for an employer to discharge, threaten, or discriminate against you because you filed or intend to file a workers' comp claim. If your employer retaliates, you may be entitled to additional compensation, reinstatement, and back wages.

Employers and insurance carriers do not have the final say on whether your injury is covered — a workers' compensation judge does. If you were performing work-related duties when you were hurt, you almost certainly have a claim. Call us before you accept any denial as final.

Yes — se habla español. Our Riverside workers' compensation office serves Spanish-speaking clients throughout the Inland Empire and we make sure every client fully understands their case in their preferred language.