Riverside Work Related Car Accident Lawyer
Riverside work injury attorney
Every year, thousands of people in the Riverside area and surrounding communities of California suffer injuries while working. While most of these injuries occur in specific workplaces, and some jobs are inherently more hazardous than others, it is vital to know the risks you face no matter what job duties you perform. One of the most commonly reported injuries among Riverside workers is work-related car accidents.
Helping Riverside, CA, Clients Recover From Work-Related Car Accidents
If you drive as part of your primary job duties, you may wonder if you can still qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you are injured in an accident outside of your typical workplace. The reality is that the location where an injury occurred does not matter as long as the worker was injured while they were performing their job duties. In fact, if another driver caused your work-related car accident, you could be entitled to more compensation than just workers’ compensation benefits.
An experienced Riverside workers’ compensation attorney is the ideal resource to consult in the aftermath of any work-related car accident. The attorneys at Diefer Law Group can review the details of your situation and help determine the most effective options you have for recovering from your recent accident. Our firm has successfully assisted many injured workers in the Riverside area with their work injury claims, including those arising from work-related car accidents. We’re not only experienced in navigating the workers’ compensation claim filing process but also personal injury law and auto insurance claims. You can rely on our firm for comprehensive legal support throughout all your recovery efforts.
What to Do After a Work-Related Car Accident
The purpose of workers’ compensation insurance is to prevent employers from facing civil liability for their injured workers’ damages while providing those injured workers with the benefits they need to recover. After any work-related injury, the victim should report their injury to their supervisor and seek medical attention. If you are injured in a work-related car accident, the process of recovering will be similar to what you would face after an accident that occurred while you were driving for personal reasons. However, you will need to file your workers’ compensation claim before pursuing an auto insurance claim and/or personal injury suit against the at-fault driver.
An injured worker will need to undergo a medical examination from a workers’ compensation doctor before they can submit their claim to their employer’s insurance company. This doctor will review the victim’s injuries and assign them a disability rating that reflects the overall severity of their injury and the extent of long-term damages they face. The disability rating will be a major factor in determining the amount of benefits the victim can receive from the insurance company.
Workers’ compensation typically provides two forms of benefits once a claim is approved. First, the injured employee can have their medical expenses covered by their employer’s insurance carrier. This includes any costs associated with necessary future treatment to manage symptoms and help the victim reach maximum medical improvement. Second, the victim can receive disability benefits for the time they are unable to work. Partial disability benefits may be paid to make up their difference in income if they can manage lower-paying work while recovering, or they may receive total disability benefits during recovery at a rate of about two-thirds of their average weekly wage each week for up to 104 weeks, or until they are able to return to work.
Further Recovery After a Work-Related Car Accident in Riverside
If you caused your own work-related car accident, or it was a single-vehicle crash due to forces beyond your control, workers’ compensation is likely to be your most viable option for recovering your damages as fully as possible. However, if another driver caused the crash, you will have the right to file an auto insurance claim against them just as you would after any other vehicle accident. If you were driving your own vehicle, an auto insurance claim can help recover vehicle repair or replacement costs as well as additional compensation that may fill in any gaps in what workers’ compensation provides.
When another driver is responsible for your work-related car accident, you likely have grounds to pursue a third-party personal injury claim. Whenever any party outside of your work is responsible for a work-related injury, you are allowed to file your workers’ compensation claim through your employer but also have the right to file a personal injury suit against whoever caused your injury.
Workers’ compensation benefits can provide medical expense coverage and some compensation for your lost earnings following your accident, but the additional recovery efforts you pursue following your workers’ compensation claim can ensure a more robust recovery. If you have grounds to pursue a third-party personal injury claim, you can potentially recover compensation for the lost income that workers’ compensation cannot provide, along with compensation for your pain and suffering. This type of compensation typically isn’t available through your employer’s insurance, and the state does not enforce a limit on pain and suffering compensation for vehicle accident claims.
Diefer Law Group can help determine the full extent of your recovery options following a work-related car accident in Riverside. Throughout the years of our firm’s operation, we have helped many injured workers in the area recover from all types of vehicle accidents and work-related injuries. You have a limited time in which to pursue your recovery efforts, so the sooner you connect with a Riverside work injury attorney, the better your chances are of maximizing your recovery.
Riverside Car Accident Lawyer FAQs
Q: What Is Considered a Work-Related Injury?
A: In California, workers’ compensation insurance applies only to work-related injuries. This means that the injury must have occurred through the course of the victim performing their work-related duties and not any other cause. Many assume this to include any injury that occurs in the workplace, but location isn’t strictly pertinent to a workers’ compensation claim as long as the victim was performing their job duties when the accident happened. For example, an accident that occurs while driving for work qualifies as a work-related injury even though the victim was outside of a typical workspace.
Q: Do I Need a Lawyer After a Work-Related Car Accident in Riverside?
A: While it may not be strictly required under state law, hiring an attorney to assist you with your recovery after an accident will pay off tremendously in several ways. You will be better prepared to confront the workers’ compensation claim filing process, have the legal support you need for an auto insurance claim, and you can build an effective personal injury suit, all with the right attorney’s assistance. Ultimately, legal counsel you can trust can make a recovery from your accident much easier, and you will be more likely to maximize your compensation with their help.
Q: How Much Compensation Can I Receive for a Work-Related Car Accident in Riverside?
A: The recovery process following a work-related car accident typically begins with a workers’ compensation claim, but there are limits to how much workers’ compensation insurance can provide. Following this, you can file an auto insurance claim against the at-fault driver, and then you may pursue a personal injury claim to recover outstanding damages that cannot be recovered through insurance. The total compensation you could receive depends on the extent of the damages you suffered.
Q: How Does Fault Matter in a Work-Related Car Accident Case?
A: Fault does not necessarily factor into a work injury claim for the purposes of workers’ compensation insurance. It’s possible to qualify for benefits even if you caused your own injury, with some exceptions. If you caused your injury by working under the influence of drugs or alcohol or by intentional violation of workplace safety rules, these issues may disqualify you. Fault will matter more if you pursue an auto insurance claim and/or personal injury suit against the driver who caused your accident. If you are shown to bear any amount of fault, you will lose a percentage of your recovery to reflect this.
Q: What Will It Cost to Hire a Riverside Work Injury Attorney?
A: If you are already struggling with the financial effects of a work-related car accident, you may be understandably worried about the thought of expensive attorneys’ fees. At Diefer Law Group, we accept these cases on a contingency fee basis. This type of billing means no upfront or ongoing attorneys’ fees for your case. Instead, we take a percentage of the total compensation recovered for you, and only if we win your case. If we cannot recover compensation, there is no fee at all.
Diefer Law Group has years of experience helping injured workers throughout the Riverside area with all types of legal claims, including workers’ compensation claims, auto insurance claims, and personal injury suits. Whatever your recovery may require, you can rely on our team to provide ongoing support through every stage of the process. Contact Diefer Law Group today to make an appointment for a free consultation with a Riverside work injury attorney to learn more about the legal services we provide.
Riverside Practice Areas
ES