Workers' Compensation and Social Security
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Regardless of occupation, every worker is at risk for an injury on the job. The injury may be immediate,
such as a courier involved in an auto accident or a construction worker slipping on a scaffold. The injury
may occur over time with repetition, such as a stocker suffering back sprain from heavy lifting or an office
worker being diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. Worse, injuries can occur because of unnecessarily
dangerous working conditions.
Workers' Compensation is a valuable safety net for workers who suffer an injury. Employers are required
by law to carry workers' compensation insurance. Brooks & Brooks can help you navigate the maze of a
workers' compensation claim. Basic benefits of workers' compensation include:
MEDICAL TREATMENT
TEMPORARY DISABILITY PAYMENTS
PERMANENT DISABILITY PAYMENTS
LUMP SUM PAYMENT OPTIONS
If you or a loved one has suffered an injury on the job, it is in your best interest to contact a workers
compensation attorney immediately. Sometimes, legitimate workers' compensation claims may be denied
by aggressive insurance companies. The insurance company will sometimes claim that you have not been
injured, or that the injury you have suffered is not serious enough to qualify for workers' compensation
benefits. As a result, you may unfairly lose critical benefits, such as medical care coverage, financial
assistance, and lump-sum payments.
You are no longer required to treat within the insurance company's medical provider network (MPN).
If you or a loved one thinks your best interests are not being represented by doctors working for the
insurance company, we will help you find a new doctor that doesn't work for the insurance company
and puts your best interests first.
SOCIAL SECURITY
If you have worked and paid Social Security taxes for five out of the last 10 years, and are now totally
disabled due to illness or injury, you may qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. First, you must
be able to prove to the Social Security Administration (SSA) that you cannot perform your former job or
any other type of work now that you are disabled. Your condition must also be one that will last, or is
expected to last, 12 months or longer. Please call our office if you have any questions about your eligibility.
Disability Benefits
Some of the disabling conditions that can make someone eligible for Social Security Disability benefits
include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Back Problems
- Arthritis and Heart Disease
- Diabetes, Lung Disease, Asthma and Lupus
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Other Immune System Disorders
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Cancer
- Kidney Disease
- Psychiatric Problems
SSA
The SSA uses a formula based on your average lifetime earnings and the total number of years you have
worked to calculate the SSD benefit amount. You can receive up to a maximum of approximately $1,800
per month, depending on your past earnings. If you have a family, you could receive additional benefits, up t
o 50 percent of your own monthly benefit amount.
Brooks & Brooks
854 Manzanita Court, Suite 100 | Chico, CA 95926
Phone: 530-345-8259
