Workers' compensation carriers in California routinely deny necessary treatment to injured workers to avoid paying on claims. However, this shortsightedness often leads to greater payments and higher costs for the system. The following is an actual example from a case Butler Viadro provided representation. A California peace officer sustained an on the job injury to her back which ultimately required surgery. As part of the surgery, this injured worker had a catheter inserted into her urinary tract/urethra. Following the surgery, she developed a urinary tract infection, and her surgeon prescribed antibiotics. The workers' compensation carrier refused to authorize the antibiotics stating the infection was not related to her back injury.
Bumble Bee Agrees to $6 Million Settlement In Work Place Death
Bumble Bee Foods has just agreed to a $6 million settlement in the death of a worker at its Sante Fe Springs plant to resolve a criminal prosecution of the company. The worker - Jose Melena - was loading tuna into the industrial ovens when he got trapped inside. The pressure cooker was then turned on, killing Melena. The settlement is the largest payout in a California work-place violation death.
Why I Became a Lawyer and Represent Injured People
My father was an attorney. As a child, I noticed that he represented people when they were injured. Many of the early cases he worked on involved a drug called Thalidomide. This was a drug which was given to pregnant women to prevent or reduce morning sickness. However, it turned out that it caused birth defects which often included major limb deformities. I met many of these children while I was young and was moved by their plight. I remember thinking that helping them and their families was important and noble work.
Employer Should Put More Emphasis on Safety Training to Reduce California Workplace Accidents
The Associated Press reports that earlier this month a grocery employee in San Luis Obispo is lucky to be alive and/or without serious injuries after his shirt got caught in a running meat grinder. The workplace accident occurred after the man was trying to dislodge a piece of meat that was caught in the hopper. In this case, a co-worker stated that the man was just seconds away from his arm being pulled into the grinder when the co-worker hit the kill switch. Although the worker avoided life-threatening injuries, he did suffer a broken arm as the result of the incident.
