Law enforcement is an important but dangerous job. Police officers and other law enforcement personnel are regularly in harm’s way. California has passed legislation to help speed up the process of obtaining workers’ compensation benefits for certain injuries and medical conditions.
A knowledgeable Bakersfield workers’ compensation lawyer from Berry, Smith & Bartell is available to review the circumstances of your claim and let you know if you have one of these injuries. We can also assist you with an appeal if your claim is denied.
California law presumes that when law enforcement officers develop certain medical conditions, it is because of an on-the-job injury. These injuries/medical conditions include:
In some cases, these presumptions may even apply after the law enforcement member retires. Most of the presumptions apply up to five years from the law enforcement officer’s last day of work, if he or she can provide evidence to prove the condition developed within the last five years.
Even though these are presumptive injuries, the presumption can be overcome if the law enforcement agency shows that the injury was not caused at work.
Law enforcement officers work a dangerous job. They may be exposed to several workplace hazards that increase their likelihood of being harmed. Some conditions that may develop in law enforcement officers due to their unique workplace hazards include:
Law enforcement officers may develop several serious heart conditions because of their job, including heart attack, heart disease or cardiac death. This is because law enforcement officers often encounter stressful situations.
A Harvard School of Public Health and Cambridge Health Alliance study revealed that law enforcement officers are between 30 to 70 times more likely to suffer from sudden cardiac death when they are involved in certain stressful situations than workers in other professions.
Situations that can increase the likelihood of an event include:
Law enforcement officers may be exposed to blood on their job during routine or one-time events, such as:
When law enforcement officers encounter blood, they may be exposed to bloodborne pathogens, including:
Additionally, law enforcement officers may encounter other biological agents that carry these diseases, such as saliva, broken skin, mucus, semen or vaginal secretions.
Law enforcement officers may be exposed to a variety of dangerous chemicals on the job, such as:
Law enforcement officers who put their own lives at risk deserve to receive compensation if they are injured on the job. If you have suffered one of the presumptive injuries discussed above or another work-related injury, contact Berry, Smith & Bartell at your earliest convenience.
We offer a free, no-obligation consultation to review your claim. We can discuss the specifics of your claim and any problems that you may encounter. Our lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, so we charge nothing for our services unless we help you recover compensation. There are no upfront fees. There is no risk in contacting us to learn more about your claim and learning whether we can help you recover compensation for your work injury.
