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Work injuries are among the most common causes of back pain, neck pain,
and the carpal tunnel syndrome.
If your job is causing pain, you should tell your employer. Most large
companies have a workplace safty specialist, called an ergonomist. The
ergonomist can help you avoid injury by changing the way you work.
If you need medical or chiropractic care, or other treatment, your
employer is required help you find a doctor and to pay for the care. Your
job may need to give you time off to recover. You cannot be fired (or
discriminated against) for filing a workers’ compensation claim. If you
can’t go back to your normal work because of the injury, your employer
must also help you find another job, or pay for your retraining.
Some doctors specialize in treating work injuries. These specialists
can help you get the best care and can also explain the workers’
compensation system to you. The State of California has information and
other resources to help you. You can call their information and assistance
hotline at 510-622-2861 or reach them online at www.dir.ca.gov. A lawyer
may be helpful if you believe that you are not treated fairly. You can
find a workers’ compensation attorney through the California Applicant
Attorney’s Association at 800-459-1400 or www.caaa.org.
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