Back pain is one of the most common ailments, and many people will sustain a back injury at some point in their lives. If you sustained a back injury in the course of performing your job, you are most likely entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, regardless of whether someone else’s negligence caused your injury. If you are in this situation, you should contact an experienced Riverside and San Bernardino County back injury lawyer as soon as possible to ensure that you do not waive your right to recovery. The attorneys at Law Office of Joseph Richards, P.C. understand the issues that frequently arise in pursuing a workers’ compensation claim due to a back injury, and we will work tirelessly to develop a strong case that will aid you in recovering the full amount of benefits that you are rightfully owed. We advocate aggressively on behalf of injured workers seeking compensation for medical costs and other benefits. We represent individuals seeking workers’ compensation benefits throughout Southern California from our offices in Orange and Riverside Counties.
Common back injuries include strains, sprains, herniated discs, and compression fractures. A sprain involves an injury to your ligaments, due to stretching or tearing, whereas a strain is an injury to a muscle or tendon. Herniated discs occur when the discs that act as cushions between vertebrae become displaced, resulting in pain, numbness, and weakness. Compression fractures occur when the vertebrae collapse due to pressure. Back injuries are often diagnosed via imaging, such as x-rays, CT scans, and MRIs. Treatment for back injuries varies and can include physical therapy, surgery, and medication to alleviate the pain caused by the injury.
Back injuries can arise in a variety of circumstances. Identifying when your back injury occurred is important, but it may be difficult depending on the type of injury. The California Labor Code identifies injuries as either specific or cumulative. In cases in which the cause of a back injury is easily identifiable, such as a fall or car accident, the injury is specific. In cases in which a back injury is caused by the repeated stress of repetitive or extended activities, such as lifting, it is a cumulative injury. In cases involving a cumulative back injury, a back injury attorney in Riverside and San Bernardino County can help the injured employee try to show that the activities of the job were a contributing cause of the injury.
In addition to specific and cumulative back injuries, workers can suffer compensable consequence back injuries as well. A compensable consequence injury is not a direct injury but is a subsequent injury that is caused by a direct injury. For example, if an employee suffers a work-related injury to his or her leg, which causes him or her to physically compensate in a way that results in a back injury, the back injury is a compensable consequence, and the employee is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits due to the back injury. Lastly, if an employee suffers an aggravation of a pre-existing back injury in the performance of his or her job duties, the aggravation is also compensable.
Regardless of the nature of your workplace back injury or how it arose, it is important to retain an Riverside and San Bernardino County back injury attorney who understands the intricacies involved in filing a workers’ compensation claim and the information that must be presented to ensure that you are adequately compensated for your injury.
As with other California workers’ compensation cases, if you suffer a work-related back injury, you are entitled to the cost of medical treatment, including prescriptions and the cost of travel to and from appointments. Depending on the duration and severity of your injury, you are likely entitled to recover either temporary disability benefits or permanent disability benefits, which may compensate you for a portion of the difference between the amount of the wages that you earned prior to your injury and the amount that you can earn after your injury. A knowledgeable attorney can review the circumstances surrounding your injury to ensure that the cause and extent of your injury is properly assessed and that you receive the benefits owed.
The attorneys at Law Office of Joseph Richards, P.C. are mindful of the stress and uncertainty that a workplace injury can cause and can work vigorously to help you obtain any benefits that you are entitled to recover. We have offices in San Bernardino County and Riverside County and frequently assist claimants seeking workers’ compensation benefits in Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Irvine, Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula, El Centro, Long Beach, San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, and San Diego. We also represent injured workers in other cities in Orange, Riverside, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties. Contact us at (888) 883-6588 or via our online form to set up a consultation if you are a worker injured on the job or a family member of a worker who was killed in a fatal workplace accident.