Trusted Workers Compensation Lawyers in Concord

Whether you work in Concord’s growing private industry or in the public sector, you can become the victim of a serious accident or physical injury that can damage your health and financial stability.  Severe carpal tunnel can be work disabling. Even something as subtle as mild carpal tunnel syndrome, however, can affect your daily living, and the medical treatment alone will put a dent in your savings. 

When your injury or disease is work-related, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. There can be challenges, however, in getting the compensation that you deserve.  A good lawyer can help.  

Workers’ Compensation in Concord

City of Concord is the largest city in Contra Costa County. With over 120,000 people in this suburban community, Concord is well-connected and growing in activities. It’s also home to thousands of workers and to rising rent prices, making workers’ compensation a critical legal issue.

Workers’ compensation in Concord and the rest of California operates under a no-fault benefits system. If you suffer a workplace injury at work, you do not have to prove negligence, which is typically a necessary element in personal injury cases. Instead, you will be entitled to compensation from your employer, regardless of whether or not the employer was negligent or careless.  Moreover, you will be entitled to compensation even if it is mostly or completely due to your own negligence. 

While the no-fault system makes it easier for workers in Concord to push for a claim, it has also led to companies doing their best to limit the amount of compensation awarded. Without enough evidence or a qualified legal team to help, many injured workers come home with a pitiful amount of compensation or worse.  In many cases, workers are denied compensation altogether and lose out on benefits like medical treatment to cure or relive them from the effects of their work injuries. 

Compensation can be claimed for different types of injuries. These include:

• Construction work injury
• Minor Workplace Injuries
• Work-related motor vehicle accident
• Work-related slip-and-fall accident
• Work-related knee and shoulder injury
• Traumatic heart, head or brain injury
• Chemical exposure-related diseases (e.g., asbestos, pesticides, toxic chemicals)
• Repetitive stress injuries, e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome
• Hostile work environments leading to mental health disorders
• Work-related death

Here at Ratto Law, we are happy to assist you in claiming workers’ compensation regardless of the type of work-related injury. We offer investigation, negotiation, and litigation services to ensure that you receive the compensation and workers’ benefits you deserve. 

Why Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Concord?

Getting workers’ compensation in Concord involves several steps. While you’ll ideally get enough compensation to address your physical, financial, mental, and emotional concerns, it is rarely that straightforward.  Even with an attorney, the roadblocks put up by the insurance company often require legal battle, even over simple issues. Attorneys who do not regularly practice in workers’ compensation law usually do not venture into the workers’ compensation arena.  It is a very specialized and often changing area of law. Ratto law’s attorneys know when to fight, and understand the legal requirements to navigate these tough waters. Ratto law attorney also know when to deal, and are excellent negotiators to get you a good outcome for your circumstances at the time. In short, the issues and opportunities that you face in your claim can be better resolved with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. 

• Opposition from employer’s insurance provider

The workers’ compensation system often feels unsympathetic to injured workers. Employers and their insurance providers want to keep costs as low as possible, so getting benefits from them, including money that you need just to live, can be incredibly difficult. They employ a range of insurance tactics to ensure that workers get only a minimum (or nothing) of what they deserve. They use any and every reason to deny you benefits.  They play games with your medical treatment. They send you to medical providers, like industrial clinics, who have your employer’s and their insurance company’s financial interests at heart, not your best interests.  

It’s difficult enough to fight through these tactics even with an attorney, but it is extremely hard on your own. Many injured workers get overwhelmed easily and succumb to helplessness. In fact, many insurance companies foster that sense of helplessness just so that you will give up.  Their favorite word is “no”, whether that is what the law requires or not. Their favorite button is “ignore,” even when their legal obligation is otherwise. Thus, you need an aggressive and experienced legal firm to help you against these insurance tactics and ensure that you win your case.

• Timely requirements for workers’ compensation

California’s workers’ compensation system is statutory in nature. There are several potential statute of limitations issues involved in most workers’ compensation claims, even if they are never formally raised.

Seeking help from the appeals board is not overly complicated, but there are several requirements.  You must file a Workers’ Compensation Claim Form or DWC1, as well as a Declaration Pursuant to Labor Code, or 4906(g) form. Finally, you need to file an Application for Adjudication of Claim form. 

As with most legal matters, you need to act and accomplish these requirements as swift as possible.  A good lawyer can assist you with these steps. 

• Difficulties in proving the claim 

To receive the full compensation needed to address your medical, financial, and emotional turmoil, you need enough evidence to support your claim. And you need an attorney that is not afraid to go to trial.  Our expertise will aid in gathering strong evidence needed to prove your entitlement to benefits. We will identify, contact and interview pertinent eyewitnesses, work with medical experts to get the best medical evidence we can get, and we will fight to keep out evidence that hurts your case. 

Why Choose Ratto Law Workers’ Compensation Attorneys?

Ratto Law Firm has been serving workers throughout Northern California since 1984. With decades of experience, we have developed expertise in the investigation, negotiation, and litigation of workers’ compensation and related matters. For workers in Concord looking for speedy assistance on their legal case, our firm offers more than 100 years of combined experience!

Aside from having a stellar track record in a variety of cases, our main philosophy as a law firm is always to put our clients first. Right from the first meeting, we prioritize the emotional and mental comfort of workers. Our team believes in compassionate legal assistance. After all, everyone deserves equal legal representation, not just large corporations and insurance companies. This is the reason why we go over and beyond. 

As part of our compassionate brand of justice, our experienced legal team offers their services on a contingency fee basis. We will only ask for attorney fees if we win your case, and if you get the workers’ compensation for wage, medical disease, or disability that you deserve. 

For a free consultation with our expert Concord workers’ compensation attorneys, contact us at (925) 609-7100 today!