San Bernardino Work Injury Lawyer

San Bernardino Work Injury Attorney 

Have you or a loved one been injured or sickened at the workplace, in the San Bernardino area or elsewhere? If so, you are not alone. Thousands of people are killed by work accidents and work-related injuries each year. The numbers tell the story: 5,840 workers were killed in work accidents in 2006, and 5,488 in 2007. Many more employees are maimed or sickened by work accidents each year.

Vehicular accidents and violent acts account for many fatal and non-fatal work injuries, but crushing incidents, falls and exposure to harmful substances are also common. But no matter what caused the work accident, work injuries can take a devastating toll on the worker and his or her family. Where will the money come from to buy groceries and pay the mortgage on your San Bernardino-area home? What if your work injury has left you unable to enjoy the everyday things in life, like taking a long walk or pursuing your hobbies?

When you are involved in a work accident with resulting work-related injuries, you may be entitled to compensation. You need the best representation possible, so it's important that you find a well-respected San Bernardino work accident lawyer.

Workers' Compensation For San Bernardino-Area Workers

Although the workers' compensation system is there to help work-injured employees, it often imposes limitations on what a work accident victim can recover. Why is that, you ask?

California's workers' compensation laws require many employers to pay into an insurance fund from which work-injured employees are paid after a work accident. When the fund pays an employee with a work injury, that employee is usually prohibited by law from suing the employer. There are exception to this, however, and a good San Bernardino work accident lawyer can tell you if there are other options in your work accident case.

If the workers' compensation system is the work injury victim's only available source of recovery, it is especially important that the employee act quickly to secure his or her rights. The employer should be notified immediately after a work accident occurs, and the work-injured employee must submit a claim. A delay in filing the work accident claim may reduce or eliminate the work injury victim's rights to recovery.

Suing a San Bernardino Area Employer for Work Injuries

One of the best aspects of the workers' compensation system is that the work accident victim does not have to prove that the employer was at fault in order to receive compensation. But what if the employer or someone else was at fault for the work accident? In some of these cases, the work injury victim may be entitled to sue the guilty party.

One example of this is when the employer's intentional acts created the danger that led to the work accident. The employer might deliberately decide not to provide new employees with legally-required safety training because it takes too much time away from production. If a work accident happens because the work injury victim did not get the proper safety training, the employer may be liable for civil damages.

Why should a work injury victim seek civil damages in court when the workers' compensation system is available to provide compensation? The answer is that workers' compensation benefits often do not make the employee whole for all the worker's injuries. Medical expenses and some disability compensation may be paid for the worker's injury, but other types of damages available to civil litigants will not. Your San Bernardino work accident lawyer will be able to tell you if you have a valid civil claim against an employer for your work injuries. If so, your chances of recovering for all the losses you have suffered due to a work accident will be greatly increased.

Recovering for San Bernardino Work Injuries From Third Parties

Getting work accident benefits from the workers' compensation system will not bar you from suing a third party for your work injuries. For instance, if you suffered a work accident when your car was struck by an 18-wheeler as you were driving to a sales call appointment, you have options. You may be entitled not only to workers' compensation benefits for your work injuries but also to recovery from the truck driver through a civil suit.

Contact the Right San Bernardino Work Accident Attorney

Deciding whether to sue employers or third parties responsible for your work accident is a complicated process. If you recover damages from these sources, the workers' compensation system sometimes seeks repayment of monies paid to the work accident victim. You will make your best decision with the advice of an experienced San Bernardino work accident attorney.

The Reeves Law Group has the experience with personal injury claims that you and your loved ones need. Our lawyers have handled numerous work injury claims, and we are ready to help you get the best recovery possible for your accidental work injuries. Although our lawyers deal only with third-party claims, we are closely affiliated with attorneys who will be happy to assist you with your workers' compensation claim. We can make sure you are fully represented for all your work accident claims. For a free consultation concerning a work injury claim, please call us at (800) 644-8000 or email us.