Amputation

Serious workplace injuries can have a lasting effect on your ability to work. If you suffered the loss of a limb or digit in the workplace, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. If you find yourself in these unfortunate circumstances, it is essential that you retain a knowledgeable Riverside and San Bernardino County amputation lawyer to represent you in potential claims. The attorneys at Law Office of Joseph Richards, P.C. are mindful that while no amount of money can truly compensate you for your loss, it is of vital importance that you obtain the maximum benefits that you are owed. We pride ourselves on being aggressive advocates for injured people seeking to recover benefits for medical treatment and other needs following a workplace injury. Our main office is located in Orange County, and we have a second location in Riverside County. We assist claimants seeking workers’ compensation benefits throughout Southern California.

A loss of a limb, finger, or toe due to a workplace accident is known as an amputation injury. If your workplace accident resulted in an amputation, your employer is obligated to provide you with workers’ compensation benefits, usually through a third-party insurer. California law dictates that people injured in the scope of their employment are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits regardless of who was at fault. As a result, if you suffer an amputation injury, you do not need to prove that your employer caused your injury to recover benefits.

While you do not need to prove negligence on behalf of your employer or a coworker to recover workers’ compensation benefits, these claims are generally the exclusive remedy for people injured in the workplace with regard to their employer. Therefore, it is of the utmost importance to retain an experienced amputation attorney in Riverside and San Bernardino County to pursue your claim and ensure that you are adequately compensated. (You also may have a third-party claim against another party in some circumstances, such as if you lost a limb due to defective equipment. In that situation, you might be able to sue the equipment manufacturer for additional compensation, although you would need to prove fault in that claim.)

California has a schedule for rating permanent disabilities, which sets forth the criteria for determining the disability benefits that a person is owed following a catastrophic work injury, such as a traumatic amputation. The factors considered in determining the amount of benefits that an injured worker is entitled to receive are the severity and nature of the injury, the worker’s age at the time of the injury, and the worker’s occupation.

In cases involving an amputation, how important the lost limb was to the duties involved in the worker’s occupation and the nature of the occupation are weighed in determining the amount of benefits owed. Additionally, greater benefits may be paid to workers involved in labor-intensive occupations that pose a higher risk of amputation than to workers who suffer a loss of limb at a job in an office environment that poses a lesser risk of injury. If a worker receives a permanent disability ranking of 70% or more, he or she may be eligible for a lifetime pension in addition to disability benefits. The schedule for rating permanent disabilities is complicated and confusing, and it can be overwhelming to try to determine if you are being properly compensated. A skilled Riverside and San Bernardino County amputation attorney can analyze the facts of your case to make sure that your injury is properly evaluated and that you receive the full amount of benefits owed.

The attorneys at Law Office of Joseph Richards, P.C. understand the importance of obtaining financial security following a devastating injury and vigorously pursue workers’ compensation benefits on behalf of our injured clients. We have offices in Orange County and Riverside County and regularly represent people 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 assist injured workers in other cities across Orange, Riverside, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties. Law Office of Joseph Richards, P.C. works diligently to help recover the maximum benefits following a workplace amputation. Contact us at (888) 883-6588 or via our online form to set up a consultation with a knowledgeable amputation lawyer in Riverside and San Bernardino County.

• Amputee Coalition Publications
• Amputee Coalition Support Network
• Amputee Coalition Materiales en Español
• Challenged Athletes Foundation