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GA Associates



12 Frequently Asked Questions
about
California Workers' Compensation Law

by Peter Goldberger, Attorney at Law
© 1996-2004 Goldberger & Associates

[BUT FIRST AN IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: These answers are NOT intended to serve as formal "legal advice" and should not be relied on as such. Although they ARE serious answers (the humor is only to take the edge off this otherwise dry subject), please consult an attorney -- who can investigate ALL the facts of your case -- before relying on any advice. Also, new laws passed in 2003 and 2004, plus ones scheduled to take effect in 2005, have raised more questions than answers which, unfortunately, means we must await rulings by higher courts BEFORE WE CAN TELL YOU HOW THE INFORMATION BELOW HAS CHANGED! Until then, YOU SHOULD NOT RELY ON ANY SPECIFIC ANSWERS and should use the information below for basic workers' compensation concepts only!]

(Click on a question to jump to its answer)

1. Now that I got hurt on the job, can I make that down payment on the Mercedes?

Have you been living on Saturn? Haven't you heard yet that you haven't exactly won the lottery when you become entitled to workers' comp. (and it's definitely not worth committing fraud over)! Forget the Mercedes. You'll be lucky if you can keep the car you already have after a few months on workers' comp!   For most on-the-job injuries you can only get 4 possible "benefits":

  • MEDICAL TREATMENT
  • TEMPORARY DISABILITY (TD or TTD)
      If the doctor takes you off work, you get a check every 2 weeks for 2/3 of your gross wages, up to certain maximums depending on the date of your injury).*
      ------------------------------------
       * For injuries after July 1996, the maximum TD rate is $490 a week; after January 2003, the maximum is $602 a week. For injuries in 2004 or beyond, the maximum can go to $728 a week or higher.  

      BUT.. if the injury date is April 2004 or beyond, you can't get more than two years worth of TD, except for a few chronic or major injury exceptions!   For most injury dates before then, you can get nearly 5 years worth if warranted.

  • PERMANENT DISABILITY (PD)
      If you end up with permanent problems or restrictions after your condition has stabilized (whether or not you return to work), you get a check every 2 weeks but for less, and only for a while.*
      ------------------------------------
       * These range from $140 to $230 a week maximum (for injuries from July 1996 through 2003 and possibly more if your injury is after that). The number of weeks you get these payments depends on how severe your permanent disability is.   (You usually do not get this permanent disability money in a "lump sum" -- only in bi-weekly payments -- unless you settle your case, or can convince a Judge otherwise.)

  • VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION
      If your injury date is before 2004, and you can't go back to your old job, and your employer doesn't have a permanent modified job for you (see Question #6), you can get help returning to the job market plus get bi-weekly checks (up to a maximum of $16,000 for all related expenses, including checks, schooling, counselors, etc.). If your injury is in 2004 or after, "voc. rehab." no longer exists and you can get "educational vouchers" instead.*
      ------------------------------------
      * If you're otherwise eligible for this benefit, starting in 2003 you can settle voc. rehab. for money, or (starting in 2004) "educational vouchers," of between $4,000 and $10,000. Starting in 2004, you can also get a 15% increase in your PD checks (see above) if your employer doesn't offer you a job within 60 days of your TD checks ending.

And, except for a few other unique situations,* THAT'S IT!   Period!   Four possible benefits.   You don't get rich, you don't get "pain and suffering," or "emotional distress," or compensation for not being able to surf or do other hobbies.

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* There are certain penalties and lawsuits against others that can sometimes come into play besides normal workers' comp. benefits. They generally involve either (a) benefits being unreasonably delayed or refused, or (b) where someone other than your employer is at fault for your injury, or (c) where your employer knew there was a dangerous condition (which caused your injury). Definitely consult an attorney RIGHT AWAY if you have any question about these other issues because stricter deadlines apply and you could LOSE your right to pursue them unless you act quickly!

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2. What about all the wages I'm losing? And that I can't bowl or have sex anymore? I'm losing WAY more than what workers' comp. is paying me! That's not fair! Can they get away with that?

Re-read Answer number one, Einstein. Then tell me what part of "THAT'S IT! Period!" you don't understand.

Once again, repeat after me: NO lost wages. NO lawsuit. NO punitive damages. And who said anything was fair here? At least your temporary disability checks aren't taxable so that gets you a little closer to netting your actual wage loss. Usually, workers' comp. gives you just the 4 types of benefits (3, really, after 2003 since voc. rehab. is no longer available) listed in Answer #1 above. Don't expect more.

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* But once again, there may be certain penalties or lawsuits against others; see the end of Answer #1 above.

[And you want "fair" ? Then elect "fair" state representatives. Virtually every new law passed in the last year or two has been pro-employer and anti-injured worker. While the insurance industry screams "Fraud is Rampant!" and let's "Bring Down WC Rates!" they quietly pass laws making workers' comp. benefits harder and harder to get! Just hope you don't get injured at work during the years of "Workers' Comp. Reform"!]

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3. Ok, I filed my claim and, after the insurance company stopped laughing, they DENIED it! This bothers me. What about medical treatment? What can I do to make them live to regret how shabbily they've treated me?

First, if you are currently fondling any loaded weapons, immediately call 911 and say "I AM A CRAZY PERSON AND NEED SOMEONE TO COME GET ME." Then unload the weapons and quietly lay face down in your driveway until the Good Guys come to take you away. Sadly, you'll soon discover that our workers' comp. system can get a "little" frustrating (which is like saying you're a "little" shorter than the Empire State Building).

Usually your claim is denied because your employer's doctor said your injury was NOT work-related.

[WARNING: If your claim was totally DENIED, then the following answer APPLIES. If, however, your claim was either partly or completely ACCEPTED and your dispute is over just medical issues or other benefits, then this answer does NOT apply and different medical evaluation procedures come into play! See, for example, Question and Answer #7]


Second, as of April 2004, once you've filed your workers' comp. claim with your employer YOU MUST BE PROVIDED MEDICAL TREATMENT WITHIN ONE DAY (regardless of whether your employer wants to investigate your claim further). For treatment, the employer -- with rare exception -- can now direct you to a doctor within their "Medical Provider Network" (MPN) -- if they have one. If they don't, you can change, or go to, doctors of your own choice [after 2005, before then you must wait 30 days]). The cap for this automatic treatment provision is $10,000 (which only applies while your claim is being investigated; if they end up DENYING your claim, you'll have to fight them and they can stop treatment; if they end up ACCEPTING your claim there is NO limit on treatment costs).

Third, if your claim was denied more than 90 days after you filed your injury claim form with your employer, they usually lose their right to deny your claim and generally you win almost by "default" (although the insurance company can sometimes delay making a decision for an additional 90 days although you can request a hearing if you don't want to wait).

But if your claim was denied within this 90-day period, the next step is to take ACTION! against your employer and the employer's insurance company (if there is one). First, FILE A FORM CALLED THE "APPLICATION" with the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) within ONE YEAR of the injury (there are certain exceptions to this one-year statute of limitations, but to be safe, the sooner, the better)! You can do this either with a lawyer, or by asking the "Information and Assistance ("I&A") Officer" at the WCAB to help you do it (see Question #9). Filing this "Application" simply stops deadlines from running. No hearing is set until you or the other side requests one.


Next, you'll need medical "evidence" to support your claim. To do this, the new laws make you notify the employer (or its carrier) of your desire to contest their denial and your request for a comprehensive medical evaluation. They then have to provide you with the proper forms which, once filled and sent out, results in your receiving a random list of three doctors in your area. The procedure for picking one is outlined in Answer #7 below. If you still disagree with this doctor's report, it is unclear presently whether or not you can object to it and seek yet another evaluation (possibly at your own expense). [The new laws contradict some of the old laws on this point and only time will tell how this issue is resolved by the courts.] If the new report finds that the injury IS work-related, the employer is supposed to start paying you benefits immediately!

In the meantime, if you can't work you should try to get State Disability through your local E.D.D. office (get the forms at your local E.D.D. office, then you and your doctor fill them out and send them back to E.D.D.). !

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4. I'm sure my medical problems are caused by work but I can't pinpoint a specific incident.
Am I out of luck?

I don't know much about your "luck" but if you mean whether you can claim a work injury even WITHOUT a specific injury occurring, the answer is a GREAT BIG "YES." In fact, it's more common than you might think!

Lots of people don't file claims because they think their injury has to be like falling or breaking your leg. Something specific. But what happens if you move pianos for a month straight and go home from work one day feeling ok, but wake up the next morning frozen in a fetal position with back spasms in the 7.5 range on the Richter scale?

Well surprise! It doesn't have to be a "specific" injury! It can be something that developed over a period of time, without any single incident. This type of work injury is called a "cumulative trauma" (CT for short) and is just as "legitimate" a work injury as a specific injury.

"CT" injuries could include any type of "over-use" work situations and most commonly involve upper extremities (arms, wrists, "carpel tunnel syndrome"), or the back, or other various joints that are involved in repetitive use. This can also include long term exposure to certain chemicals, or acquiring an "occupational disease."

Usually a doctor must confirm that at least part of the problem comes from the repetitive or physically (or sometimes mentally) stressful nature of your job. Then you should claim it as a work injury. (And don't always take the first doctor's opinion on this as the gospel. Disputes and issues involving "CT" claims are common in workers' comp. Doctors and lawyers fight all the time over whether all or part of an injury is a work-related "cumulative trauma.")

------------------------------------
[Note that the "date of injury" to use when filling out forms claiming a CT injury is a RANGE of dates, NOT just a SINGLE date. This range should include THE ENTIRE PERIOD YOU'VE BEEN EXPOSED TO THE WORK YOU THINK CAUSED YOUR PROBLEMS Usually, that means a "beginning date" of whenever you first began feeling symptoms ALL THE WAY UP TO an "ending date" of (a) when you stopped being exposed to the conditions you blame, or (b) when you finally had to take off work, or see a doctor, because of these conditions, or (c) when you first discovered your condition was, or might be, work-related. So for instance, your CT injury date might read: "3/1/95 through 3/1/96." NOT just a single date when you FIRST felt the symptoms, or the date the insurance company arbitrarily chooses to put at the top of your letters (which is usually the date you filed a claim).

This could all become VERY important because the later your ending date for a "CT" is, the higher your benefits might be (since changing laws have increased the rates and the ENDING date is what's used to decide which laws apply to you).]

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5. For how long can I get medical treatment, Answer Man?

If the treating doctor feels you may continue to need treatment for your work injury, your right to medical treatment can remain open INDEFINITELY (NOT just 1 year or 5 years as some think). Once your employer (or the insurance company) agrees you have a work injury, you can continue receiving treatment under workers' comp. for as long as the treating doctor says it's necessary -- EVEN IF YOU STOP WORKING FOR THAT EMPLOYER.


The new laws, however, HAVE changed one aspect of treatment radically: And that involves the type of treatment provided.* The treatment must conform with either a book presently being prepared by the Workers' Compensation Director (which will be called "Medical Treatment Utilization Schedule [MTUS]), or until that is written and adopted, a special medical book already in circulation which defines what treatment is reasonable for each ailment (called the "ACOEM Guides" - which stands for "American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine Guidelines). If you disagree with the treatment prescribed by these books, you CAN try to object based on "generally-recognized scientific evidence." Also, there is no longer the presumption that the treating doctor's opinions regarding treatment are necessarily correct (as there was in the old laws).

------------------------------------
* Also, starting in 2004 there are now limits to how many treatment visits can be authorized (24 max.) for either physical therapy, chiro care, or occupational therapy.
------------------------------------

The only ways you WON'T continue to receive treatment under workers' comp. is (a) if you settle your claim and agree to close your right to future medical care or (b) your doctor says you don't need any more treatment. If the medical reports say you either do need, or may need, more treatment, you can almost always keep your right to such treatment left open by signing papers at the end of your case called "Stipulations" (or having a hearing). And even if your doctor says you don't need treatment at the moment, you usually have 5 YEARS FROM THE DATE OF INJURY to "reopen" your case if things change and you begin needing treatment again. But if you've been found earlier to no longer need treatment, and you don't reopen your case within 5 years, you're out of luck!

Generally though, you should rest easy knowing you can keep open your right to further medical treatment if the treating doctor agrees you'll continue needing it. Only in very rare situations where the need for future treatment is disputed (or if you choose to settle) can you lose this right -- usually when the doctor says you don't need any more treatment. Otherwise, you'll get treatment if you need it. !

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6. What if I can't go back to my job?   Is that when I make the call to Dr. Kevorkian?

Maybe.... There was something set up in the workers' comp. system to help you get back in the job market. It was called "Vocational Rehabilitation" and, besides any money or treatment you might be eligible for because of your work injury, you ALSO could get "voc. rehab." if you couldn't return to your usual job (and your employer didn't have a permanent, modified job for you). This voc. rehab. provided you with additional bi-weekly checks while you were either being re-trained or in some other way helped back toward a new job.


HOWEVER, this all changed with the new laws! Now, if your injury dates before 2004, you can still get voc. rehab. -- or settle this benefit for up to $10,000 in cash. But if your injury took place in 2004 or after, voc. rehab. is now officially DEAD. In its place, you get (a) a 15% increase in whatever "permanent disability" money you are otherwise entitled to and (b) "educational vouchers" of from $4,000 to $10,000 which can be used to help you retrain on your own! (It's unclear under the new laws whether you can still settle this benefit for straight cash or not... my opinion is that you can, although no court has ruled on this yet.)

Your "rehab plan" (if your injury was in 2003 or before and you can't return to your job and your employer doesn't have another job for you) is created by you and a counselor that your former employer (or its carrier) must pay for. This counselor is trained in helping people get back into the job market -- either at a new job, or at least qualified to get one. They look at your background, your interests, your past jobs, etc., and the job market in your area. Then a "plan" is developed which is like a contract that describes how and what will happen. It might be job placement, or re-training, or on-the-job training, or a combination. It all depends on you, your background and the local job market.

This pre-2004 voc. rehab. benefit is "capped" at $16,000 total - meaning that once the employer has paid out that amount for everything related to voc. rehab. (counselors, your bi-weekly checks, schooling, etc.), that's it! No more voc. rehab.!

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7. The doctor's report is a worthless pack of LIES!   How can this quack have the "final word" about my injury?

Relax. You DON'T have to use just the treating doctor's opinions if you don't want to. While it's true that starting in January 2005 you must use a treating doctor from your employer's "Medical Provider Network" (if they have set one up; if not, you can choose your own doctor -- after the first 30 days before 2005), under the new laws you can still get a second, and sometimes a third, medical opinion from another doctor within the network!

And if you still don't agree with the doctors' opinions regarding either treatment or level of disability, you (or your employer) can "object" to those opinions and you will be provided with a random list of 3 doctors from which to choose one (and these doctors will NOT be part of your employer's network of doctors). This new doctor is called the "panel QME" (qualified medical examiner) and his/her opinions are then usually the one's used for determining how much money you're entitled to and whether additional treatment, or other benefits, are warranted. [It is unclear at the present time whether you can object to that doctor's opinions as well. We'll have to wait for higher courts to rule on this issue.]

And if you have a lawyer already, a slightly different procedure is used if you don't like your treating doctor's final opinions. Your lawyer will know how to handle this and can advise you about the specific options you'll have!

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8. I hate my job AND my boss.   They're both driving me NUTS!   My spouse can't stand me ... and I kick the dog.   How do I file a STRESS CLAIM??????

Maybe first try cutting back on the caffeine.

Then think TWICE before filing such a claim. Contrary to popular belief, filing a "stress claim" is NOT your ticket out of a bum job. In fact, it's almost always an uphill battle. The laws have gotten stricter and stricter on filing such claims.* Virtually all of them are fought tooth and nail by the insurance company and, unless you're truly suffering a serious psychiatric problem directly because of your job (MUCH worse than just a horrible boss), I don't suggest filing one.

First, it begins a full inquiry into your "psychiatric well-being." Your private life becomes an open book. Psychiatrists test and evaluate you. "Psychiatric reports" are generated with your name at the top. The insurance company is permitted to look into EVERY POSSIBLE stress factor that might have a bearing on your current mental condition: Criminal backgrounds of you and your family, financial background, deaths in the family, marital problems, kid problems, sexual problems, prior psychiatric incidents, etc. etc.

So unless you don't mind being questioned and investigated on every possible private aspect of your life, it's usually not worth the trouble. (And unless you have a real good case, you'll probably have trouble finding a reputable lawyer willing to handle it anyway.)

Naturally, there are real "stress" or "psyche" claims that should DEFINITELY get filed. There ARE very real instances of psychiatric work injuries. But these usually require (a) something fairly horrible happening at work which (b) AFFECTS you severely enough to require psychiatric treatment. An armed robbery at work, or witnessing a horrible incident at work, are obvious examples of legitimate psyche claims that should be filed. Another valid psyche claim is heavy depression which often follows a very serious injury (this ADDS a psyche claim to your already existing physical injury case). Most good workers' comp. attorneys will do the "screening" for you by letting you know whether it's a good enough psyche case worth filing.

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* Some of the obstacles to pursuing a "psyche" claim are: (a) You must have worked for your employer for at least 6 months; (b) your work must have been a "predominant" (usually 40%) cause of your psyche problems; (c) you can't use "good faith personnel decisions" (such as being demoted, etc.) as the reason for your psyche problems, (d) an even higher percentage of cause must be shown if you have already left that job and (e) if you no longer work there, there must be doctor's reports showing that you were treated for the psyche condition prior to leaving the job! As you can tell, this makes winning a psyche claim extremely difficult, especially if you try filing one after you've left your job!

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9. Wait a second... Color me CONFUSED.   I can't do this alone!! I need help? How?

Several ways.

First, the State of California has set up within each local WCAB office a separate little agency known as the "Office of Information and Assistance." It's usually a few doors down from the WCAB office and is staffed with non-lawyer state employees who try to help injured workers who don't have lawyers. They explain how to proceed with your case, file the right papers, request a hearing, etc. Some of these "Information and Assistance ("I&A") Officers" are very knowledgeable. Some aren't. Most try very hard to help and ALL are extremely busy so I recommend going in person, not phoning. You can find the local office by clicking here.

Of course another option is to get a lawyer. You don't need one in every work injury case; but, then again, don't believe the insurance company when it tells you you'll never need one. (It comes right after "Hi, I'm from the insurance company and I'm here to help.")

If your case involves only minor, or no, permanent problems or restrictions, you probably don't need a lawyer to either settle your case or sign papers to keep your medical treatment open if necessary.

I'd suggest consulting with one or more workers' comp. attorneys in any of the following situations:

  • Having trouble getting workers' comp. benefits and you've sustained a serious work injury;
  • The injury is serious enough (and/or requiring surgery) to likely cause more than minor permanent problems;
  • The insurance company wants to take your deposition, or the deposition of a doctor whose written a report in your case;
  • There is an uninsured employer involved;
  • Someone besides your employer (or coworker) -- some "third party" -- might be at fault for causing your injury;
  • You've been offered more than a few thousand dollars to settle.

These are just some of the reasons to consider using a lawyer. There are of course many others.

It's also tricky finding a good lawyer once you've decided you might need one. It's not always as easy as "word-of-mouth" from your neighbor. [Think about how good "word-of-mouth" really is when it comes to referring a professional supposedly trained in a specific, technical field... Shouldn't even a lousy lawyer, if he or she is a good talker, be able to B.S. your neighbor into thinking he's good? After all, does your neighbor (or friend or relative) really know how to evaluate a lawyer? Does your neighbor know the law? Good "bedside manner" isn't enough; it takes that plus excellent knowledge of the law and, hopefully, experience in court and with opposing parties! That's why I devote considerable words of wisdom on this subject in my Handbook (plug).]

For now, at the very least make sure you interview at least two lawyers. They should specialize in workers' compensation law. Ask questions about who you'll talk to whenever you have a problem; how many cases your lawyer handles at a time (more than 200 might be pushing it, depending on the size of the staff, etc.). You should also ask why he/she thinks you need a lawyer and what difference he/she might make! !

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10. We all know lawyers are just below pond-scum on the food chain (nothing personal). How can I prevent these low-lifes from RIPPING ME OFF (if I'm unfortunate enough to need one to help me)???

So nice to be loved. Instead of "attorney-at-law" my cards should read "scumbag-til-needed." Oh well (see client-joke below).

More good news: We low-lifes can't rip you off EVEN though it is, after all, our main goal in life! So wipe that smirk off your face because workers' comp. legal fees are COMPLETELY REGULATED BY LAW (one of the few areas of law where this is true).

We lawyers cannot ask for, or accept, any money from you for representing you in your workers' comp. case until a Workers' Compensation Judge has awarded the fee in advance, usually at the end of the case. And almost always this fee is the ridiculously low percentage of 9 to 15%! Yes, you heard right. 9-15% of whatever final money benefits you end up getting. Cheap. One of the few remaining KEY BUYS among California attorneys.

[Ok, pay-back time for all those wonderful lawyer jokes... How many clients does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Just one; he holds it still and the whole world revolves around him....   ha.. ha..] !

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11. I have a lawyer right now and I'd be better off cramming long, sharp objects into my eyes! How do I dump this idiot?   How do I get my file?   Can he still get a fee from me?   Could he take my soul if I truly believe he's Satan?

First, I suggest you give things a second chance before firing your attorney for several reasons: (1) He/She may be doing more than you think but there's just poor communications; (2) He/She may not be doing anything because there's nothing yet to do, but there's poor communications to explain this to you; (3) You may have problems finding a replacement lawyer (see below) and/or (4) Letting your lawyer know you're unhappy might make the relationship work better than ever (the old "squeaky wheel" clichT)!

Second, you should know that, if you still want to get rid of your attorney, you don't need a reason. That's the good news, I suppose (if you've got a crummy one).

The bad news is that because fees are already so low in workers' comp. cases anyway, it gets harder and harder to find a second, or third, lawyer to take over your case. This is so because when your case ends, and the Workers' Comp. Judge approves the attorneys fees to be awarded, he/she rarely awards more than the standard 9 to 15% -- even though there may have been more than one lawyer handling the case!

So if you use 1 lawyer, he or she will usually be awarded 9-15% fees when the case ends. But if 2 lawyers worked on the case at different times, they'll probably have to SPLIT the 9-15% fees! Same if 3 lawyers are involved (3 into the same 9-15%!), and so on. How it actually works is that when your case ends, your then current lawyer contacts any previous attorney and works out a deal to split the 9-15% fees once the Judge awards it. [Occasionally (depending on the Judge and what area of the state and the details of your particular case), the Judge could award 15% or more in fees when there's been more than one lawyer involved in the case.]

Needless to say, it can be difficult finding truly competent workers' comp. lawyers who are willing to work on your case for, say, two-thirds or HALF of a measly 9 or 15% fee! So expect more than a few "You've got a good case but, sorry, no thanks."

One possible solution -- especially if you can't resolve serious complaints with your present lawyer -- is to approach your lawyer first and explain you'd like to negotiate in advance what percent of the fee (if any) he/she intends to request since you'll be dismissing him/her. Try to get it in writing. That way, you can assure any prospective new lawyer how much of the fee to expect. [The lawyer usually won't negotiate in advance with you like this unless there's concern you might sue or file a complaint with the State Bar or such other ugly things lawyers like to avoid. But it's at least worth a try to ask, especially if you're having problems finding a new lawyer.] Naturally, if you can "persuade" your present lawyer to waive ALL his fees, it'll be much easier finding a replacement lawyer! [But don't count on an attorney waiving his entire fee, unless he/she REALLY feels guilty about doing a poor job for you -- or is just glad to get rid of YOU!]

So the moral to this story is to try to pick your lawyer wisely the FIRST time around! (See Question #9 for a little help on this point.)

P.S. And if you fire your lawyer and ask for your file (and don't have a new lawyer taking care of this for you), your old lawyer CAN'T CHARGE YOU ANY FEES OR COSTS before returning your file! ALL fees and costs -- even copying and postage fees -- must still be approved FIRST by a Workers' Comp. Judge (usually, but not always, at the end of the case).

(And as for the last part of your question, even Satan wouldn't stoop to practicing workers' comp. law.)

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12. How could there be only 12 Frequently Asked Questions??? That seems an odd number? Are you odd? There must be more than 12 questions to ask! Haven't you left out a lot I should know? Why?

Buddy, you ask a lotta questions. (And how exactly do you define "odd"?) But you're right. There ARE a few more than 12 questions to ask about workers' comp. But I figured 12 questions would be enough for the person with a typical work injury to at least get "up and running" in most situations. Plus, I'd also like to sell a few copies of my Handbook which covers WAY more topics, so I can try offsetting some of the costs involved with maintaining this wonderful free public service website!   [Unfortunately, because of all the new laws that have recently been passed, we are currently in the process of updating our very popular handbook! The third edition (our first 2 editions have sold literally thousands of copies over the past 8 years -- since first going on sale in 1997) should be on sale within the next few months. To be put on our "waiting list" to order your copy [it will cost about twenty bucks], just CLICK HERE, and you can read a sample of it and tell us to notify you when it's ready!.]

[Or maybe even drum up some business for me or my firm if you have a serious work injury anywhere in California that can justify our transportation expenses from the San Diego area (which may not even be necessary since most workers' comp. matters are handled by phone and letters anyway) -- just call (858) 456-1234 -- or -- Click Here and we will contact you!]

So for those other questions -- like, how much is my case worth? ...or, can they fire me while I'm on workers' comp.? ...or, can I trust the insurance company to look out for me? (yeh, right... just a trick question to see if you were paying attention) --- either CLICK HERE to tell us you'd like to be notified when the book's ready, or see if we can represent you!!

© 1996-2004 Goldberger & Associates

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"Required Notice - Making a false or fraudulent workers' compensation claim is a felony subject to up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to $50,000 or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or by both imprisonment and fine."

workers compensation law - work injuries - workers comp. procedures - work injury forms
stress claims - workers compensation rules - on the job strategies - workers comp. terms