When you suffer an injury or develop an illness while working in California, you may wonder whether you might be able to get workers’ compensation insurance to help cover the costs associated with your condition. California employers have a legal obligation to carry workers’ compensation insurance. This holds true even if they run companies that have only one employee.
According to the California Department of Industrial Relations, your employer, in addition to offering workers’ compensation insurance, must also have training and protocols in place that seek to prevent work-related injuries and illnesses. However, if you do experience or develop one and need workers’ compensation insurance as a result, you may be able to obtain the following types of benefits.
Medical care
Workers’ compensation insurance typically covers medical expenses that help you recover.
Temporary disability
If your condition is such that it keeps you from working, you may be able to obtain compensation to help you cover lost wages until your condition improves.
Permanent disability benefits
Permanent disability payments may be available to you if there is no real chance of your condition improving enough for you to return to the workplace.
Supplemental job displacement benefits
These benefits may come into play if you are unable to go back to your original employer and need to undergo training before working elsewhere.
Death benefits
Death benefits may be available to your spouse or children if your work-related injury or illness ends in death.
Keep in mind that while California’s workers’ compensation laws extend to all employees, they do not cover independent contractors working within state lines.