Thousand Oaks Firefighter Injury Lawyer

Firefighters are a vital part of our society and often make great sacrifices based on the dangerous nature of their role. If they are injured while on a job, the medical bills and lost wages can have negative consequences on firefighters and their families. To maximize your potential earnings in a workers’ compensation claim, schedule a consultation with a Thousand Oaks firefighter injury lawyer.

A Family-Owned Firm With a Great Reputation

Barry Law Group is dedicated to serving injured workers, especially those in the public sector. The small size of our firm allows us to give each client personalized attention and care based on their unique needs. We have successfully represented clients in slip-and-fall cases, workers’ compensation claims, and more. The attorneys at Barry Law Group have also won cases in personal injury and vehicle accidents.

As a family-owned firm, Barry Law Group understands how important workers’ compensation claims can be for the families of injured employees. We aim to serve each client with dedication, top-performing legal strategies, and open communication. Schedule a consultation today to see how you can benefit from a case evaluation from Barry Law Group.

What Is Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation is a government-funded program that helps protect employees who are injured while at work. If an injured employee successfully files a claim, they may be entitled to compensation for the cost of their treatment. They can also receive some payment to make up for the time they must take off work to recover. Firefighters and other first responders are sometimes eligible to receive additional benefits due to the risk of injury inherent in their jobs.

Why Do I Need an Attorney?

While it is not legally necessary to work with an attorney to file your workers’ compensation claim, it can help move your case along as quickly as possible. In most cases, you only have 30 days from the date the injury occurred or was discovered to report the injury, and you only have one year to file the claim paperwork from the date of the injury. A Thousand Oaks workers’ compensation attorney can help you fill out legal paperwork in time to meet state deadlines.

Workers’ compensation claims sometimes need additional forms of evidence, like medical records and employment records. An attorney can help gather these items on your behalf while you spend time recovering from your injury. Most workers’ compensation claims do not need to go to court. However, if your claim is denied, you may have to appeal the decision to secure a settlement, an experienced attorney can fight on your behalf.

Workers’ Comp and Firefighters

Before outlining specific conditions that affect firefighters, it is important to understand who qualifies as a firefighter under California law. Anyone who fights fires in any capacity as a regular job duty is considered a firefighter, including:

• City, county, state, district, or other types of firefighters working for the government
• Firefighters under the California university system, including those employed by the University of California or California State University
• Firefighters who work for the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
• Firefighters who serve national organizations like NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, or the Office of Emergency Services.

These benefits apply to paid firefighters, volunteer firefighters, and even trainees. They only apply to people whose main job duty is to eliminate fires, so if you work for a government department and are not a firefighter, these additional benefits do not apply to you.
Workers’ comp for firefighters contains benefits that are a bit different from those that other employees receive. If an individual is directly involved in firefighting and is injured on the job, they might qualify for additional benefits under California Labor Code Section 4850. These benefits include up to one year of a worker’s full salary. If their injury prevents them from working for more than one year after the injury occurred, they still qualify for temporary disability benefits.

Thousand Oaks Firefighter Injury FAQs

Q: What Are Presumptive Injuries for Firefighters in California?

A: In Thousand Oaks, CA, for most workers’ compensation cases, the individual making the claim must prove that their injuries were sustained as a direct result of events at work. If an individual has a presumptive injury, this means that the employer must prove that they did not cause the employee to sustain that injury. For firefighters, medical issues like heart conditions, lung conditions, hernias, and post-traumatic stress disorders are all presumptive injuries.

Q: What Are the Most Common Injuries That Firefighters Suffer?

A: Due to the dangerous nature of firefighting, injuries are frequent in the field. The most common forms of injuries that firefighters incur are strains or sprains from overexerting themselves. They are also at a higher risk of injury from falling or slipping during a job. Furthermore, firefighters may receive injuries related to extreme heat, burns, and other conditions as a result of smoke inhalation.

Q: Where Do the Majority of Firefighter Injuries Occur?

A: According to the National Fire Protection Association, most injuries that firefighters sustain on the job are in the area where the fire occurs, otherwise known as the fireground. The majority of injuries happen outside the structure that’s on fire, but a good portion also occur inside the structure itself. Most injuries are sustained at structure fires as opposed to vehicle fires or fires in crops or outdoors.

Q: What Are Common First-Responder Injuries?

A: First responders are often more susceptible to injury than other types of employees due to the dangerous nature of their work. The type of injuries sustained usually varies depending on the type of first responder. Police officers are more likely to be injured due to violence and vehicle accidents. Firefighters commonly suffer from overexertion, falls, and exposure to fire and smoke. Emergency medical employees are usually injured from overuse of specific muscles and sprains.

Let Us Help With Your Recovery

Each step of the workers’ compensation process has strict deadlines. Working with an attorney can help you make sure that you file your claim on time to get the most amount of benefits possible for your situation. If you’ve been injured on the job, don’t wait. Schedule a consultation with Barry Law Group to review your options, determine a potential settlement amount, and file a claim.