THE LEGAL PROCESS OF YOUR CLAIM
• WORKERS' COMPENSATION APPEALS BOARD
• The Workers' Compensation Appeals Board is the court for all industrial injuries. This Board carries out administrative law hearings and there is no right to trial by jury. If your case goes to trial, the Workers' Compensation Judge makes all the decisions.
• When you retain our office, we will file a formal claim with the Workers' Compensation Appeals board, sending a copy to your insurance carrier. This claim will be assigned a case number by the Board and then no further action will be taken by the Court until one of the parties indicates it is ready to proceed to hearing.
• After your file is opened, we will obtain your medical records from the insurance company informally, or if necessary, by court order. Upon receipt of your records, which usually takes between 45 to 60 days, we will conduct an investigation into the events surrounding your injury. We will then monitor your case to determine when your condition becomes permanent and stationary and begin negotiations for settlement. If we are unable to settle your case, we will file the necessary documents to set your case for trial.
• Please note that while our office will negotiate with your employer's insurance company, we will not settle your case unless we have your full authorization. You will be advised of settlement negotiations along with our evaluation of your claim, so that you will be able to make an informed decision regarding resolution of your case.