San Joaquin County, California Workers' Compensation Lawyers
Edward A. Smith
(3 Peer Reviews) 
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Injured on the job?
The workers' compensation system attempts to streamline the process for handling work-related injuries and illnesses, such as a loss of limb, back injury, or repetitive strain injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. The system generally provides fixed remedies to employees suffering from work-related injuries without requiring the employee to prove fault, thereby minimizing the need for litigation and its associated costs. Benefits from workers' compensation insurance may include medical care, temporary disability benefits, permanent disability benefits, vocational rehabilitation, and death benefits.
The workers' compensation system is typically an alternative to filing a civil lawsuit for a personal injury claim, and in most cases, you may not pursue both avenues for compensation for an injury.
A workers' compensation lawyer can help you navigate the workers' compensation system to get the full benefits to which you are entitled. If your injury was caused by someone or something not covered by your employer's workers' compensation insurance, a workers' compensation attorney can help you file a third-party claim so that you get the compensation you deserve.
Sometimes workers' compensation attorneys also handle matters in personal injury or employment law. However, some attorneys also handle workers' compensation matters exclusively.
Cumulative injury: The career total of an employee's job-related injuries resulting in disabilities.
Third-party claim: A legal claim by an employee against a party who is not the employer and whose negligence caused injury during or in the course of employment.
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