Coronavirus + Your Case (Video)
Will coronavirus and California's 'Stay at Home' order affect your workers' compensation case? Maybe. Attorney Rachel Mahoney explains how your new or ongoing case could be affected.
Hi, I'm Rachel Mahoney and I'm a partner at the law firm of Cole Fisher Cole O'Keefe and Mahoney and we specialize in helping injured workers with their workers compensation cases as well as in assisting those with Social Security disability cases. Today I would like to answer some questions regarding coronavirus and the current shelter-in-place order and how that might affect the workers compensation case.
Can you file a new workers compensation claim while we are under the shelter-in-place order?
Yes, you can and you absolutely should. Unfortunately the office of the division of workers compensation is physically closed. In order to file a claim you can go online to the division of workers compensation website, download the appropriate paperwork and send it in by mail or fax. If you have an attorney, your attorney has all the appropriate paperwork and can file the claim on your behalf.
Will your open workers compensation case be delayed by the current shelter-in-place order?
Maybe. I would like to highlight two areas of potential concern. The first is medical treatment. Thankfully, most medical providers are offering a telemedicine option where an in-person appointment cannot be offered. Also thankfully Governor Newsom has just approved all essential surgeries may move forward at this time. For these reasons we hope that the impact to your medical treatment is minimal. However, if that is not your case please contact a workers compensation attorney to advocate on your behalf. The other area of concern is that our courts are closed; we cannot appear in person to obtain dispute resolution by a judge for this reason. hiring a workers compensation attorney could greatly benefit you as that attorney can move forward to resolve disputes with the other party without the need for a judge's decision.
Cole, Fisher, Cole, O’Keefe + Mahoney is Central California’s leading workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm. With over 30 years of successful experience, we are committed to securing maximum benefits for our clients in the Fresno, California area. Schedule a free consultation today.
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Making a false or fraudulent workers’ compensation claim is a felony subject to up to five years in prison, or a fine of up to $150,000 or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or by both imprisonment and fine.