It is not uncommon for teenagers to be employed and, in many cases, the jobs they have can be physically strenuous and can potentially lead to severe injuries. Child labor laws prohibit teens from being employed in the most dangerous jobs, but there are still numerous ways in which teen workers can be injured while performing their job duties. Some of these injuries include:

• Slip and fall injuries caused by wet or greasy floors
• Back injuries caused by lifting heavy objects
• Burns caused by accidents involving hot cooking oil or grease
• Falls from ladders
• Cuts, bruises, and fractures
• Injuries caused by motor vehicle accidents when working as a delivery driver

The workers’ compensation system is not fault-based, which means whether or not a teen worker was negligent or partially to blame for the accident that caused their injuries will not matter. The only exceptions in which a teen worker’s injuries would not be covered by workers’ compensation benefits would be if drug and alcohol use was involved or the teen was grossly negligent.

Types of Benefits Teens Can Access

The benefits teens are able to receive through workers’ compensation depend on the severity of the injury they suffered. However, they can potentially include:

• Medical care: Workers’ compensation must pay for the cost of medical care pertaining to the work-related injury. That said, injured workers are required to seek medical care from a list of doctors pre-approved by the workers’ compensation insurer. Ultimately, this means the teen will not be able to seek care from his or her family doctor.

• Income replacement: If the teen is rendered unable to work as a result of his or her injury, it might be possible to receive temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. This will allow the teen to receive about two-thirds of his or her average weekly wage.

• Permanent injury: These benefits compensate teenage workers who have suffered permanent damage as a result of a workplace accident. The amount an injured worker receives is based on the body part that was injured and the level of impairment.

• Death benefits: Some injuries are fatal, but these are generally rare when it comes to incidents involving teens. Death benefits could include funeral and burial costs.

If your teen was injured while performing his or her job duties, make sure you begin the process of filing for workers’ compensation.

Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Orange County

If you have a teen in your household who was recently injured while performing his or her work duties, it is imperative that you hire a skilled workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible to ensure your teen obtains the benefits to which he or she is entitled. At Alvandi Law Group, P.C., our workers’ compensation attorneys have been serving Southern California for over 30 years and are backed by a proven track record of success.

Begin your workers’ compensation case today and reach out to our law firm at (800) 980-6905 to schedule a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable attorneys.