California Firefighter Injury Lawyers Uphold Your Right to Benefits
Skilled attorneys help firefighters with workers’ compensation claims
California wildfires in recent years have taken a heavy toll on firefighters, resulting in several deaths and many more serious injuries. Fortunately, in California firefighters are covered by workers’ compensation from their first day of employment. This no-fault insurance system provides a range of benefits, including medical treatment, wage replacement, disability benefits and death benefits. However, it’s not always easy to access the benefits you’re entitled to. At Mastagni Holstedt, APC, our knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorneys assist clients throughout the state. We assist with filing claims, appealing denials of claims and negotiating fair disability settlements. As a California firefighter, if you are injured on the job, you have rights, and we can help you obtain the full range of benefits you deserve.
Leading causes of firefighter injuries
Firefighting is an inherently dangerous and stressful occupation. According to the National Fire Protection Association, more than half of all firefighter fatalities result from overexertion, stress and medical issues. Other leading causes of firefighter death are:
- Rapid fire progress and explosions
- Vehicle crashes
- Being struck by a vehicle
- Falls
- Structural collapse
- Exposure to electricity
- Getting lost inside a fire scene
- Exposure to heat
- Assault
The types of fatal medical conditions that result from these events include sudden cardiac death, which accounts for almost half of all firefighter fatalities. Other leading injuries include:
- Internal trauma and crushing
- Burns
- Asphyxia, including smoke inhalation
- Stroke
- Electrocution
- Heat stroke
Any of these events/injuries can force a firefighter to miss work for a significant period of time. In some cases, the injured party may never recover sufficiently to resume their career. Our attorneys believe that the courageous men and women who protect life and property deserve our thanks and our support. For this reason, we fight aggressively to help ensure you obtain the full range of benefits allowed by law.
How the California Labor Code treats presumptive injuries
The California Labor Code recognizes the significant health hazards facing all firefighters and creates legal presumptions that certain illnesses derive from occupational exposure to hazardous substances and conditions. This opens benefits to firefighters who develop certain conditions, without them having to prove the illness is work-related. Conditions that are considered presumptive injuries include:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Injury (PTSI)
- Bio-chemical exposure
- Heart, hernia and pneumonia
- Certain forms of cancer
- Tuberculosis
- Blood-Borne Infectious Disease and Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)
- Meningitis
If you develop any of these conditions, you may qualify for benefits under the presumption. However, it is vitally important to present precise medical evidence of the covered condition. Our attorneys help firefighters file their claims and appeal denials. If your claim has been denied, it may be because your filing did not use the exact language that claims reviewers are trained to recognize as fitting the presumption. We can review your claim and file and appeal that enhances your prospects of approval. We are also prepared to litigate your appeal if necessary at every level of the process.
Contact our California attorneys for a free firefighters’ rights consultation
Mastagni Holstedt, APC helps injured firefighters assert their rights to payment after suffering a work-related injury or illness. To schedule a free consultation, call or contact us online. We have offices in both Northern and Southern California, with locations in Sacramento, Rancho Cucamonga, Pleasanton and Redwood City