Compensation for a Hand Injury at Work
cartwrightlaw - May 15, 2023 -
Practically every worker needs the full use of both their hands to perform their job duties. Your hands provide both power and control for job-related tasks. Even a partial injury can affect your ability to do your job now and in the future. Your injury needs to be treated medically, and you may not be able to earn money from your job.
The good news is that you may qualify for workers’ compensation under California law if you have suffered a work-related injury. You would submit a claim with evidence of your injury. The insurance company would review your claim, and the hope is that they would approve your benefits. If they have denied your claim, you can file an appeal to hopefully convert it to granted benefits.
Discuss your rights with a work injury attorney in the Bay Area.
Examples of Work-Related Hand Injuries
There are a number of ways that you can injure your hands at work, including:
- Finger amputations
- Crush injuries
- Tendon injuries
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Torn ligaments
- Fractures
Many clients ask us about how much money they can get for a hand injury at work. Our answers presume that you are filing a workers’ compensation claim. If you are able to file a product liability lawsuit because you were injured by defective work equipment, your compensation may be even higher if you win your case. You could then seek full lost wages and non-economic damages. Always allow our work injury lawyers to review your situation and identify your options.
Your Settlement Could Depend on the Severity of Your Injuries
It is hard to say how much the “average” hand injury is worth in a workers’ compensation claim. There are different degrees of hand injuries. For instance, if you completely lost the use of a hand in a crush injury, your settlement would be worth far more than if you lost part of a finger in an accident. Everything depends on the extent of your disability and whether you are able to work in the future.
The Elements of Your Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Your workers’ compensation benefits would pay you the following:
- Two-thirds of your lost wages are based on what you were earning before your injury (capped at the state average weekly wage)
- The reasonable costs of treating your injury
Some injured workers would elect to receive benefits on a weekly basis. If they are temporarily disabled, they should continue to get a weekly check for their lost wages until they are able to return to work.
Permanent Injuries Can Mean a Settlement
If you have suffered a permanent hand injury, you may be entitled to a workers’ compensation settlement for your disability. You should not necessarily pay attention to the “average” numbers for a hand injury settlement that is published nationally. You have no idea of the severity of the “average” person’s injuries and how much they earned prior to their injury.
Your Compensation Would Depend on Your Disability Rating
You would be examined by a doctor, who would determine that you are permanently injured. The doctor would assign you a disability rating based on the extent of your injuries and their opinion of how much you can work.
For many hand injuries, you would not be considered totally disabled. Your disability rating would be partial. For example, if you suffered from arthritis in your hands that made it difficult to perform your job, you could get a rating of 40 (the actual rating is based on the doctor’s medical opinion). The rating for the loss of a finger would depend on which finger was amputated and how much it interfered with your ability to do your job.
If you suffered a serious injury, you could be considered completely disabled. In that event, your rating would be 100. There are many ratings on the continuum based on the severity of your injury.
You have the right to present another doctor’s opinion if you disagree with the examining doctor’s opinion. The supposedly “independent” doctor may be beholden to the insurance company because they are sent a lot of business. The doctor may not want to anger the insurance company by giving you a higher disability rating. You can and should get a second opinion if you disagree with the disability rating.
How Your Compensation Is Calculated Based on Your Disability
Your disability rating is important because it is the percentage of the full benefit that you would get for your injuries. Before you reach the actual number of your rating, you would adjust it by a factor of 1.4 to account for future earnings capacity.
If you have a disability rating of 50, you would be entitled to half the weekly benefit that you would have been entitled to for a temporary disability. If your rating is 100, you would be entitled to the total weekly benefit. Your benefits might be increased each year in line with the increase in the average weekly wage in California. In recent years, benefits have seen sharp increases because of the overall inflation in the economy.
If you have been permanently disabled, you may consider a one-time lump-sum settlement with the insurance company. Your total would reflect the present value of your payments (because a dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future). You may need to negotiate with the insurance company to ensure you get the right amount.
If you have suffered any type of serious injury, you should contact a workers’ compensation attorney. There are many possible legal issues, and the insurance company may try to take advantage of you in the process. An experienced attorney would stand up for your rights.
Contact a Discovery Bay Hand Injury Lawyer Today
The Cartwright Law Firm works with injured California employees to guide them through the compensation for a hand injury at work process. We can represent you when you have a difficult claim, whether it is negotiating a settlement or appealing a denial of your claim. You are already stressed enough without having to deal with the insurance company and the details. To speak with an experienced attorney, you can call us today at (415) 851-6486 or send us a message online. We offer free consultations to prospective clients.
Practically every worker needs the full use of both their hands to perform their job duties. Your hands provide both power and control for job-related tasks. Even a partial injury can affect your ability to do your job now and in the future. Your injury needs to be treated medically, and you may not be able to earn money from your job.
The good news is that you may qualify for workers’ compensation under California law if you have suffered a work-related injury. You would submit a claim with evidence of your injury. The insurance company would review your claim, and the hope is that they would approve your benefits. If they have denied your claim, you can file an appeal to hopefully convert it to granted benefits.
Discuss your rights with a work injury attorney in the Bay Area.
Examples of Work-Related Hand Injuries
There are a number of ways that you can injure your hands at work, including:
- Finger amputations
- Crush injuries
- Tendon injuries
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Torn ligaments
- Fractures
Many clients ask us about how much money they can get for a hand injury at work. Our answers presume that you are filing a workers’ compensation claim. If you are able to file a product liability lawsuit because you were injured by defective work equipment, your compensation may be even higher if you win your case. You could then seek full lost wages and non-economic damages. Always allow our work injury lawyers to review your situation and identify your options.
Your Settlement Could Depend on the Severity of Your Injuries
It is hard to say how much the “average” hand injury is worth in a workers’ compensation claim. There are different degrees of hand injuries. For instance, if you completely lost the use of a hand in a crush injury, your settlement would be worth far more than if you lost part of a finger in an accident. Everything depends on the extent of your disability and whether you are able to work in the future.
The Elements of Your Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Your workers’ compensation benefits would pay you the following:
- Two-thirds of your lost wages are based on what you were earning before your injury (capped at the state average weekly wage)
- The reasonable costs of treating your injury
Some injured workers would elect to receive benefits on a weekly basis. If they are temporarily disabled, they should continue to get a weekly check for their lost wages until they are able to return to work.
Permanent Injuries Can Mean a Settlement
If you have suffered a permanent hand injury, you may be entitled to a workers’ compensation settlement for your disability. You should not necessarily pay attention to the “average” numbers for a hand injury settlement that is published nationally. You have no idea of the severity of the “average” person’s injuries and how much they earned prior to their injury.
Your Compensation Would Depend on Your Disability Rating
You would be examined by a doctor, who would determine that you are permanently injured. The doctor would assign you a disability rating based on the extent of your injuries and their opinion of how much you can work.
For many hand injuries, you would not be considered totally disabled. Your disability rating would be partial. For example, if you suffered from arthritis in your hands that made it difficult to perform your job, you could get a rating of 40 (the actual rating is based on the doctor’s medical opinion). The rating for the loss of a finger would depend on which finger was amputated and how much it interfered with your ability to do your job.
If you suffered a serious injury, you could be considered completely disabled. In that event, your rating would be 100. There are many ratings on the continuum based on the severity of your injury.
You have the right to present another doctor’s opinion if you disagree with the examining doctor’s opinion. The supposedly “independent” doctor may be beholden to the insurance company because they are sent a lot of business. The doctor may not want to anger the insurance company by giving you a higher disability rating. You can and should get a second opinion if you disagree with the disability rating.
How Your Compensation Is Calculated Based on Your Disability
Your disability rating is important because it is the percentage of the full benefit that you would get for your injuries. Before you reach the actual number of your rating, you would adjust it by a factor of 1.4 to account for future earnings capacity.
If you have a disability rating of 50, you would be entitled to half the weekly benefit that you would have been entitled to for a temporary disability. If your rating is 100, you would be entitled to the total weekly benefit. Your benefits might be increased each year in line with the increase in the average weekly wage in California. In recent years, benefits have seen sharp increases because of the overall inflation in the economy.
If you have been permanently disabled, you may consider a one-time lump-sum settlement with the insurance company. Your total would reflect the present value of your payments (because a dollar today is worth more than a dollar in the future). You may need to negotiate with the insurance company to ensure you get the right amount.
If you have suffered any type of serious injury, you should contact a workers’ compensation attorney. There are many possible legal issues, and the insurance company may try to take advantage of you in the process. An experienced attorney would stand up for your rights.
Contact a Discovery Bay Hand Injury Lawyer Today
The Cartwright Law Firm works with injured California employees to guide them through the compensation for a hand injury at work process. We can represent you when you have a difficult claim, whether it is negotiating a settlement or appealing a denial of your claim. You are already stressed enough without having to deal with the insurance company and the details. To speak with an experienced attorney, you can call us today at (415) 851-6486 or send us a message online. We offer free consultations to prospective clients.
“Our successful case results are a reflection of the values and virtues we believe in and uphold at Cartwright Law Firm. Nothing stops us from pursuing justice on behalf of those who need it.
Robert E. Cartwright Jr.
Founder and Managing Partner