Blog

It’s Our 2nd Anniversary!

At The Law Offices of Melissa J. Lyons, Inc., we celebrated our second anniversary last month. The firm may be two years old, but Melissa’s journey to becoming an attorney who advocates for workers’ rights began when she was nine years old. When Melissa was a child, her mother suffered a significant lumbar spine injury […]

Read More

Psychiatric Injuries in Workers’ Compensation

Physical injuries are never easy, but the injuries are easier to diagnose and prove as work-related in a workers’ compensation case. Psych cases, or “psychiatric injuries” as they’re referred to by the State of California, can be trickier to handle. Yet, it’s important employees receive the benefits to which they’re entitled, regardless of whether the […]

Read More

Employment Issues with Workers Compensation

Suffering an injury on the job can be extraordinarily stressful. There’s the stress and pain of an injury, as well as finding treatment, and securing the workers’ compensation benefits to which you’re entitled. An  added stress is worrying about your employment. What are my benefits? Workers’ compensation covers five basic types of benefits: Medical care: Paid […]

Read More

Temporary Disability vs Permanent Disability

Suffering an injury at work is always tough. The stress of going through the workers’ compensation process can make it even tougher. One of the common questions people have when they’re injured is, “What’s the difference between temporary disability and permanent disability?” What is the difference? Temporary and permanent disability are both there to provide […]

Read More

Understanding the QME Process

QME stands for Qualified Medical Evaluator. The State of California defines QMEs as “Qualified physicians who are certified by the Division of Workers Compensation, a Medical Unit focused on examining injured workers to evaluate disability and write medical-legal reports.” What is the QME process for injured workers? A certified physician determines if a patient was […]

Read More

Denied Claims

The phrase “denied claim” will add anxiety and stress to an already-difficult situation, but it is not a reason to panic. California has one of the most robust workers’ compensation programs in the country. It is also one of the largest, and anytime you have something that large, bureaucracy is necessary to keep it afloat. […]

Read More

Challenges Obtaining Treatment in Workers’ Compensation Cases

Suffering an injury at work is bad enough. Going through the process of filing workers’ compensation claim(s) and getting medical treatment can make life even more difficult. It’s incredibly frustrating to suffer an injury and then have trouble getting appropriate treatment. Worse, it can make injuries worse and cause more systemic medical issues. Every workers’ […]

Read More

What’s the difference between a specific DOI vs. CT DOI?

DOI is shorthand for a specific Date of Injury in Workers’ Compensation law. CT DOI is shorthand for Cumulative Trauma DOI (also called Continuous Trauma). In many cases, the date of when an injury occurred is clear and obvious. If a worker slips and falls on the job, they’ll know the date that injury happened […]

Read More

Utilization Review

Utilization Review (UR) is one of the most important parts of the workers’ compensation process in California, and like many legal topics, the terminology can be confusing to laypeople. What exactly is Utilization Review (UR)? The State of California defines UR as: “the process used by employers or claims administrators to review treatment to determine […]

Read More

Workers’ Compensation Settlements

Your Workers’ Compensation case is settled when you come to an agreement with the defendant about your injury, which includes permanent disability and future medical care. Generally, settlements occur when you reach maximum medical improvement by the doctor.  There are two different ways to settle a Workers’ Compensation injury in California: STIPS: Stipulations with Request […]

Read More

Challenges Obtaining Treatment in Workers’ Compensation Cases

Suffering an injury at work is bad enough. Going through the process of filing workers’ compensation claim(s) and getting medical treatment can make life even more difficult. It’s incredibly frustrating to suffer an injury and then have trouble getting appropriate treatment. Worse, it can make injuries worse and cause more systemic medical issues. Every workers’ compensation case is different. If you’ve begun treatment for an injury and disagree with your doctor’s diagnosis or treatment, see

Read More »

What’s the difference between a specific DOI vs. CT DOI?

DOI is shorthand for a specific Date of Injury in Workers’ Compensation law. CT DOI is shorthand for Cumulative Trauma DOI (also called Continuous Trauma). In many cases, the date of when an injury occurred is clear and obvious. If a worker slips and falls on the job, they’ll know the date that injury happened (specific DOI). Other injuries are not quite as clear cut. Repetitive strain injuries such as tendonitis occur over a period

Read More »

Utilization Review

Utilization Review (UR) is one of the most important parts of the workers’ compensation process in California, and like many legal topics, the terminology can be confusing to laypeople. What exactly is Utilization Review (UR)? The State of California defines UR as: “the process used by employers or claims administrators to review treatment to determine if it is medically necessary. All employers or their workers’ compensation claims administrators are required by law to have a

Read More »

Workers’ Compensation Settlements

Your Workers’ Compensation case is settled when you come to an agreement with the defendant about your injury, which includes permanent disability and future medical care. Generally, settlements occur when you reach maximum medical improvement by the doctor.  There are two different ways to settle a Workers’ Compensation injury in California: STIPS: Stipulations with Request for Award In a STIPS case, you and the defendant come to an agreement on the amount of permanent disability

Read More »

What is the 90 Day Rule?

Many states have either an official or unofficial rule that employers and insurance companies have 90 days to review a workers compensation claim. Rules vary by state. Fortunately, as Forbes reports here, California has one of the better 90-day rules when it comes to workers’ rights: “Under California law, workers’ comp insurers must respond to your claim within 14 days of the time a work injury claim form is submitted. In some cases, employers will

Read More »

Happy Anniversary!

If you follow us on social media, you’ve probably seen our posts earlier this month marking our first anniversary. It’s a huge milestone, and yet this is only the beginning. We’re proud of the work we’ve done, and the difference we’ve been able to make in our clients’ lives. That’s what it’s all about, and why we’re energized to keep working and celebrate many more anniversaries to come. “I have dreamt about becoming an Attorney

Read More »