What benefits does workers compensation provide over medical insurance in CA?

California Insurance Benefits for Workers

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Generally speaking, you should notify your employer of the injury in writing within 30 days of being hurt. You also need to file a compensation claim of official workers by filling out the portion of the claim form of the employee (which your employer should give you) and returning it to your employer. It will also serve as a written notice if you turn in the form within 30 days after the injury.

If you have developed a work-related medical condition over time (such as a repetitive stress injury or an occupational disease from exposure to dangerous chemicals), there are special rules for determining when the 30-day period begins. See our article on how to file a workers ' comp claim in California for more information on this, as well as details on the claims process and what happens if you miss the 30-day deadline.

If your claim is approved, you’re entitled to receive payment for:

• The cost of any medical care necessary to treat your injury or illness in the workplace
• Replacement of partial wages while you are away from your injury or illness (known as temporary disability) and
• Permanent disability benefits if you do not recover fully and have permanent constraints affecting your ability to work.

When an employee dies from an injury or illness in the workplace, surviving dependents may qualify for payments called death benefits. See our article on workers ' compensation benefits in California for more details on these and other benefits available to injured employees in the state.

You may not be able to choose any doctor you want to see for treatment when you are first injured at work or become ill due to working conditions. Typically, the insurance company will require you to go to a doctor or group of health care providers; if it has established a network of medical providers for compliance treatment for workers, you will usually need to select a doctor within that network. 

There are some exceptions to this rule, including when you’ve given your employer written notice—before you were injured—that you wanted your personal primary care physician to treat you for any work-related injury or illness. Even if you haven’t been able to choose your initial treating physician, you might be able to After a period of time, switch doctors. For more information on the rules for pre-designating your personal physician and making a switch, see our article on how doctors can be selected and changed in the case of your California workers.