Workers' Compensation Articles & Guides

California workers’ compensation dental injury involving broken teeth, TMJ and bruxism

Injury Specific Guides

Dental Injuries at Work in California: Broken Teeth, TMJ, Bruxism and Workers’ Comp

f you break or damage a tooth at work, the injury can be covered by California workers’ compensation. That can include the dental treatment needed after the accident and, in…

DavidAugust 15, 2026

California workers’ compensation illustration showing a nurse practitioner’s release from care stamped invalid because only a valid PTP may discharge the worker.

The QME & Medical Process

A Nurse Practitioner Cannot Release You From Workers’ Comp Care in California

A common problem in California workers’ compensation cases begins at an industrial medical clinic. An injured worker reports an injury and is sent to Concentra, Kaiser On-the-Job, or another clinic…

DavidAugust 5, 2026

Injured worker waiting beside signed California workers’ compensation settlement documents pending court approval.

Permanent Disability (PD) & Case Value

What Happens After You Sign a Workers’ Comp Settlement in California?

You agreed to settle your California workers’ compensation case. So why have you not received the settlement documents or your check? Many injured workers assume the case is basically over…

DavidAugust 2, 2026

Injured California bear holding a $290 weekly workers' compensation check while a chart shows the state's cost of living rising above flat benefits

Claim Basics & Eligibility

California Workers’ Comp Is Spending More. Injured Workers Are Falling Behind.

California’s annual workers’ compensation report is usually analyzed from the same perspective. How much are employers paying? Are insurance costs increasing? Are claims becoming more expensive? Those are legitimate questions.…

DavidJuly 27, 2026

Cartoon bear with a bandaged arm driving on a Los Angeles freeway at sunset, with a mileage log on the seat and a road sign showing the new California workers' comp mileage reimbursement rate of 76 cents per mile.

TTD & Wage Replacement

California Workers’ Comp Mileage Reimbursement Is Now 76 Cents Per Mile

The California Division of Workers’ Compensation has increased the mileage reimbursement rate for medical and medical-legal travel to 76 cents per mile, effective July 1, 2026. That is an increase…

DavidJuly 25, 2026

Bear attorney reviewing SB 171 combined values chart showing SIBTF claim failing at 61 percent under California's new rules

Injury Specific Guides

SB 171 Is a Catastrophic Rewrite of California SIBTF Law

California Enacted SB 171. Here Is What Just Changed for SIBTF Claims. California’s Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund just went through its biggest rewrite in decades. On July 13, 2026,…

DavidJuly 24, 2026

A friendly cartoon illustration of a brown grizzly bear in a blue work uniform, holding its lower back and saying 'Ouch!' in a warehouse setting next to a pallet of boxes and a forklift. The background features the California Republic flag.

Injury Specific Guides

Warehouse and Big-Box Retail Injuries in California: What Workers Need to Know

Warehouse and big-box retail jobs are some of the most physically demanding work in California. Between the sales floor, the loading dock, and the fulfillment aisles, employees move fast, lift…

DavidJuly 5, 2026

California workers’ compensation doctor tells an injured worker he needs surgery while insurance denies the MRI and surgery request through utilization review.

The QME & Medical Process

Surgery Denied by UR in California Workers’ Comp? Here Are the Timelines and What You Can Do Next

The insurance company picked the doctor list. Then it ignored the doctor. One of the most frustrating parts of California workers’ compensation is this: The insurance company usually controls the…

DavidJune 8, 2026