Workers' Compensation Articles & Guides

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

Worker in safety gear facing chemical tanks at an industrial facility

Injury Specific Guides

Chemical Exposure at Work After the Garden Grove Tank Emergency: What California Workers Should Know

The chemical tank emergency in Garden Grove involving methyl methacrylate has left many people in Orange County asking a basic question: what happens if I was exposed to chemicals while…

DavidMay 25, 2026

A cartoon illustration of a worried brown bear character acting as an injured worker, sitting on a living room couch and holding a smartphone to his ear with an anxious expression. He wears a red flannel shirt, a brown work jacket, and has a white bandage wrapped around his upper right arm. A bright yellow banner at the top of the image reads in bold black text: "THE ADJUSTER IS CALLING. WHAT YOU SAY NEXT MATTERS." A jagged speech bubble above the bear reads: "What do I tell the adjuster?" On the coffee table in front of him are documents labeled "California Workers' Compensation Claim Form" and "MEDICAL BILL." The background includes a California Republic flag on the wall and a city skyline through the window. The bottom right corner features the text "Lee Partners Law Injury Attorneys".

Claim Basics & Eligibility

The Workers’ Comp Claims Adjuster Called. Here Is What You Need to Know Before You Say a Word.

ou got hurt at work. You reported the injury. Now your phone is ringing and it is the insurance company. They sound helpful. They may tell you they want to…

DavidMay 17, 2026

California bear lawyer at Lee Partners Law using a magnifying glass to investigate a 3% permanent disability rating on a QME report.

Permanent Disability (PD) & Case Value

Why Is My California Workers’ Comp Permanent Disability Rating So Low?

You finally received your QME report or your treating doctor's permanent and stationary report. You expected the rating to reflect everything you've been through. Instead, you see 3%, 5%, 8%,…

DavidApril 25, 2026