How this injury happens at work.
- Falls from height and missteps off docks and trucks
- Forklift and vehicle contact in warehouses and yards
- Dropped loads and pallets
- Sudden push-off injuries — Achilles rupture
- Uneven ground and trenches on construction and agricultural sites
The injuries we see.
- Tibia and fibula fractures
- Ankle fracture and severe sprain
- Achilles tendon rupture
- Crush injuries from equipment
- Compartment syndrome
- Chronic instability after repeated sprains
Report it, then file it.
California workers’ compensation runs on fixed deadlines, and the carrier will use every one you miss. Report the injury to your employer in writing, ask for the DWC-1 claim form, keep a copy of everything, and get to a doctor the same day if you can. The deadline calculator on our home page shows how long is left on each clock from your date of injury.
Treatment and your right to a doctor.
Surgical fixation, non-weight-bearing recovery, and physical therapy. Return to a standing job often takes months, and permanent hardware may need removal later.
All treatment reasonably required to cure or relieve the injury is covered — no co-pay, no deductible, no lifetime cap. For the first 30 days you generally treat within the employer’s medical provider network unless you pre-designated your own physician; after that you can change treating doctors within the network, and disputes over diagnosis or disability go to a Qualified Medical Evaluator. Utilization-review denials can be appealed through Independent Medical Review within 30 days.
Two claims, not one.
Workers’ compensation
Medical care, temporary disability at two-thirds of your average weekly wage, permanent disability, and retraining. Your employer can’t be sued — that immunity is the bargain.
Whoever else caused it
Forklift and vehicle contact on a shared site, or defective equipment, can support a civil claim against a company other than your employer.
Both cases run at the same time. You do not choose between them, and the two-year civil statute keeps running whether or not the workers’ comp claim is filed.
Permanent disability and what it’s worth.
Rated on gait, range of motion, and stability. Standing and walking restrictions are common and matter for both disability payments and the retraining voucher.
Once you reach maximum medical improvement, the treating physician or the medical-legal evaluator writes a report that is converted to a permanent disability rating and a weekly benefit. Cases then resolve by Compromise & Release for a lump sum, by Stipulated award with future medical care left open, or by trial before a workers’ compensation judge. If your employer can’t offer work within your permanent restrictions, you are also entitled to a Supplemental Job Displacement Benefit voucher for retraining and the Return-to-Work Supplement.
What the carrier will try.
- Returning you to “seated work” that doesn’t exist
- Denying hardware removal as unnecessary
- Terminating temporary disability at the first mention of “stable”
- Ignoring the need for footwear and orthotics
Questions we hear first.
Is a workplace ankle sprain worth filing?
Yes. Report it and file the claim form even if you expect to recover — an unreported injury that becomes chronic has no record.
What if a forklift driver from another company hit me?
Workers’ comp covers you regardless of fault, and the other company and its driver can be sued in a civil case.
Do I get paid if I can only do seated work and my employer has none?
Yes. If your employer can’t accommodate your restrictions, temporary disability continues.
General information about California law, not legal advice about your case. Statutes cited: Labor Code §§ 4600, 4650, 4658.7, 4906, 5400, 5401, 5402, 5405; Code of Civil Procedure § 335.1. Every case turns on its own facts — call for a free consultation.