Agoura Hills is a small community of around 20,000 residents that is located in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains along the edge of Los Angeles County. The town was once little more than a residential area or bedroom community, as they were once known. There was little in the way of industry, so most of the residents faced a drive to work that was far from enjoyable as they slowly merged and slogged their way along the highway to a larger, more industrialized area for work each day. And in the evening, they faced the same struggle to return home. While the process was essential to live in the peaceful community of Agoura Hills, it required the commitment to a long drive that could easily take hours when there was a traffic incident on the highway.
As times have changed and more people are looking to leave the big city life behind due to stress, overcrowding, and high prices, businesses have also discovered the benefits of having locations in smaller cities like Agoura Hills. Today, Agoura Hills has a thriving economy with locally owned and operated small businesses, franchise businesses, and local or satellite offices for major companies that are serving this growing community and the others nearby. For the residents of Agoura Hills, this growth means they have a very unique and desirable opportunity to live and work in the same town. No lengthy commute, stress about traffic or hours wasted on the road. Instead, they are enjoying the best of both worlds as they work near home and get to live in a place that offers affordable housing, lots of parks and green spaces, nearby beaches and entertainment areas, but still a peaceful and relaxed lifestyle. For the majority of Californians working in the state, this life sounds too good to be true. But it is the reality for Agoura Hills residents. However, there is a reality that exists everywhere. And that is the fact that there is no perfect world, job, or workplace.
Sadly, even in Agoura Hills, there can be the potential for a workplace injury due to an accident or one that is caused by repetitive strain. It is unfortunate that most workers never understand the impact of repetitive strain until it is too late and they have sustained an on the job injury due to what is more technically referred to as cumulative trauma. Even more concerning for Agoura Hills workers is that these injuries are not limited to one job or kind of employment. Workers in a wide array of jobs can sustain a workplace injury because of repetitive strain and not be aware of the harm until they are seeking medical care for an ache, pain, or loss of motion or mobility.
Suddenly, these once very able-bodied employees are facing issues that include pain when moving or working, stiffness, a loss of capability or mobility, and these issues are decreasing their ability to work, earn a living, and enjoy life. But they have no idea how to resolve the hardships caused by this hand, back, leg, or neck injury that just seems to have appeared for no reason. Fortunately, in most cases, their medical care provider can explain the repetitive strain injuries, what caused them, and often even provide guidance on how to handle the situation, such as seeking the legal guidance and help of a skilled Workers Comp Attorney for repetitive strain injuries in Agoura Hills. And that is when a quick search online will let the workplace injury victim know that California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group is the premier legal team serving Agoura Hills that specializes in Workers Comp and workplace injuries.
As the victim of a repetitive strain injury or workplace injury or the loved one of one of these victims, all you need to do is grab your phone and contact California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group. Our office staff is available to take your call 24/7 to ensure you get the information and help you need when you need it the most. They can provide general information on that first call and help you schedule your free consultation with a Workers Comp attorney for repetitive strain injuries in Agoura Hills to fully evaluate your case and the options to get the help you need and deserve.
At your free consultation, your California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group attorney will provide a great deal of general and case-specific information to help you understand the assistance offered by the California Workers Compensation Program and any other legal options you might have to help you resolve your losses and expenses caused due to a repetitive strain injury. All we ask is that you reach out to the office staff at California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group at your earliest opportunity, as there are time limits on any action you might pursue to get help with losses and expenses.
Understanding The California Workers Compensation Program Basics
It is genuinely unfortunate that many workers in California are unfamiliar with the Workers Comp Program and all the services it can provide for a worker who is injured on the job. It is equally as upsetting for some employees to learn that they have full coverage under this program only after it is too late to get the help they need with things like medical care costs and lost wages. So the team at California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group is committed to getting the word out to everyone working in California, so they understand the services and benefits from the WC program that apply to them when they get hurt at work.
The first crucial piece of information is that all employers in the State of California are legally required to participate in the Workers Compensation Program and not only enroll their employees when they are hired but also pay for all of their coverage and participation in the program. So, even though you did not sign up for the coverage yourself, your employer enrolled you, and the program will provide benefits if you get hurt while on the clock.
Second, this program is very broad and covers all kinds of injuries and workplace incidents that result in an employee injury. And any time you get hurt at work and suffer losses or expenses because of that workplace incident, you have the right to open a Workers Compensation claim and use the services of the program, as long as you and the incident meet three very simple and basic criteria, which include:
- You must have been working at your regular job and performing tasks related to that job at the time of the Agoura Hills workplace injuries
- The incident that caused your workplace injuries, in part or wholly, cannot be the result of horseplay, roughhousing, refusing to follow known safety guidelines, or taking unnecessary safety risks
- You must not have been under the influence of any mind-altering substance at the time of the Agoura Hills on the job injury
Understanding More About Cumulative Trauma And Repetitive Strain Injuries
Most people are not familiar with injuries that are caused simply by making the same motion over and over. If you perform the motion once and it does not cause harm, they wonder how doing the same thing over and over can be harmful. But the simple fact is that the minor strain you do not even feel when you complete a motion once can compound or become exponential when you do the same thing over and over. Some of the more common injuries caused by repetitive strain include:
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Tendonitis
- Epicondylitis
- Back Or Neck Disc Herniation
- Trigger Finger
- DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis
- Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
- Raynaud’s Syndrome
While some of these issues are related to the tendons, others injure the nerves or can actually cause damage to bones and joints as a result of:
- Repetitive Motion
- Force Like Lifting
- Awkward Posture
- Vibration Exposure
Opening A California Workers Comp Claim For Repetitive Strain Injuries
When you suffer an injury because your job requires you to make repetitive motions or work in an awkward position, you have as much right to use the WC program for help as the victim of a workplace slip and fall injury. In these cases that involve cumulative trauma injuries, you will open your claim with the staff at the WC program and then receive benefits as needed in the following basic categories:
Lost Wages – If you are unable to work for an extended time because of a repetitive strain injury in Agoura Hills, the Workers Compensation Program can provide you with up to 66% of your regular weekly income to help you pay your bills and living expenses. The money is paid to you, and there are no restrictions on how you can use it.
Disability Compensation – If the result of your repetitive strain injury is a lifetime or extended limitation that will decrease your earning capacity or potential, the program can provide disability compensation to help offset that decline in your earnings. The money is paid to you, and you can use it with no restrictions from the program.
Free Job Training – If the result of your repetitive strain injury is a lifetime limitation that will prevent you from ever returning to that job or work in that field that you are familiar with, the California Workers Compensation Program can provide you with free vocational training to help you prepare for a new career or job once your medical care providers advise that you are cleared to return to the workforce in a new capacity.
Medical Care Coverage – The Workers Comp Program will pay 100% of your medical expenses related to the repetitive strain injury you suffered on the job. The maximum covered by this benefit is $1M per workplace injury incident or repetitive strain injury diagnosis. The coverage includes paying for expenses like surgery, doctor’s bills, the cost of therapy or rehabilitation, as well as essential durable medical goods and medication. In addition, most medical care providers in the state will bill the WC program directly, so you are never responsible for deductibles, co-pays, or making payments to the care providers and then waiting to get reimbursed for the payments you made.
How Long Do I Have To Open A Workers Comp Claim For Repetitive Strain Injuries In Agoura Hills?
For most workers comp claims, the injury victim has only 30 days from the date of the injury incident to contact the program and open the claim to get benefits. However, if the claim is related to cumulative trauma or repetitive strain injuries, the time limit is extended. Please understand that the first step in this process is that your repetitive strain injury or cumulative trauma injury must first be diagnosed by a medical professional, and they should include a statement related to the cause of the injury and how it is work related. Once that happens, you have one year from the date of the diagnosis or from the first day that you missed work because of the injury to open your claim with the WC program.
It is critical that you understand that the time limit to open your claim is strictly enforced, and once it has passed, any claim you try to open will be immediately denied. So, if you think that cumulative trauma or repetitive strain was the cause of your workplace injury but you are unsure how to move forward, please reach out to the office staff at California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group. They will help you book your free consultation with a Workers Comp attorney for repetitive strain injuries in Agoura Hills to fully evaluate your case and the options open to you to get the help you need to address losses and expenses caused by the injuries.
Why You Should Contact The California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group Workers Comp Attorneys For Repetitive Strain Injuries In Agoura Hills?
Discovering that you have sustained injuries just because of the tasks that were required for your work can be very upsetting. You face many hardships and financial issues in these cases that will result in added stress that can make healing even more challenging. When you face such an issue, the best thing you can do is trust the professionals at California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group to provide the information and guidance you need to secure any WC benefits that are owed to you for the harm you suffered. In addition, if there are other legal options open to you, our staff will handle any case with legal merit and never ask for any upfront legal fees or expenses. And if your Workers Comp attorney for repetitive strain injuries in Agoura Hills fails to win your case and deliver the compensation you need, you owe the firm nothing for its time of investment in preparing your lawsuit. Please reach out to our office staff today to learn more and eliminate the stress of handling this complex matter on your own instead of focusing on your healing and recovery.
