Workplace Injury Lawyer in California
When you are hurt on the job by someone other than your employer, workers' compensation may not be the end of the story. A separate third-party claim — against a negligent contractor, a driver, an equipment maker, or a property owner — can reach the full extent of your losses, including what comp does not cover. We help California workers find every avenue of accountability. (Injured on a construction site? See our construction accidents section.) Se habla español.
Hurt at work by someone other than your employer?
Start with a quick, confidential case review — about two minutes, no cost, no obligation.
Beyond workers’ compensation
Workers' comp typically covers medical care and a portion of lost wages, but it usually does not include full compensation for pain, suffering, or reduced quality of life — and it is limited to your employer. When a party other than your employer caused your injury — a negligent contractor, a driver, an equipment maker, or a property owner — a separate third-party claim may be available. That claim can pursue the losses comp does not reach, and it can be brought in addition to your comp benefits.
Finding everyone responsible in California
You focus on healing; we handle the rest. Many workplaces bring together multiple companies, vendors, and equipment providers, and any of them may share fault for an injury. We investigate who was involved and how the injury happened to identify every avenue of accountability beyond your employer, and we coordinate with any comp claim you have. Pursuing a third-party claim generally does not replace your comp benefits. Every matter begins with a free, confidential review. Se habla español.
Why work with Woods Law Group
These cases turn on untangling who was responsible at a busy workplace and coordinating a third-party claim with workers' comp — including any comp lien. Having an attorney who knows how to identify every non-employer defendant and reach the losses comp does not cover makes a real difference. We take these cases on a contingency basis for clients we represent, which means no fee unless we recover, and we advance the costs. You get straight answers, real communication, and a firm that treats your recovery as the priority.
How much is my workplace injury case worth? →
Common workplace injury cases we handle in California
- Your Rights After A Workplace Injury
- Third Party Claims Vs Workers Comp
- Warehouse And Factory Injuries
- Delivery And Driving On The Job Injuries
- Injured By A Negligent Contractor Or Vendor
- Defective Equipment And Machinery At Work
- Injured On Another Companys Property
- Settlement Value
Insurer & comp coordination
California deadlines and rules
California allows a third-party injury claim separate from workers' compensation, so an injured worker can pursue both — comp benefits from an employer and a full injury claim against a negligent non-employer. The deadline to file most injury claims is generally two years, and a wrongful death claim may apply where a life was lost. California follows pure comparative fault. A comp lien may apply to part of a third-party recovery, and coordinating the two is central to these cases.
- Filing deadlines (statute of limitations)
- Comparative fault in California
- Claims against a government agency
- Evidence that builds your claim
California injury law: deadlines, fault and caps
California injury law shapes your case in a few specific ways worth knowing early.
- Filing deadline: You generally have two years from the date of the injury to file — and only about six months to put a government entity on notice before you can sue.
- Fault: California follows pure comparative negligence, so you can still recover even if you were partly — or mostly — at fault, with your recovery reduced by your share of the blame.
- Damage caps: An ordinary California injury case has no cap on damages; medical-malpractice claims are the main exception.
- Uninsured drivers: California sets minimum auto-insurance limits and uninsured/underinsured-motorist rules that affect what coverage is available.
Free tools and guides
- Workplace Injuries FAQs
- Settlement & deadline calculators
- Free downloadable guides
- Checklists
- Calculators & estimators
- Side-by-side comparisons
- Questions & answers
Articles
Frequently asked questions
I already filed workers’ comp. Can I still bring a third-party claim?
Often, yes. A third-party claim against someone other than your employer is generally separate from your comp benefits, and you may be able to pursue both. It can seek the full damages — like pain and suffering and complete lost earnings — that comp does not cover. The two are coordinated, including any comp lien, which we handle.
Will a third-party claim put me against my employer?
No. A third-party claim is against a different company — a contractor, vendor, driver, equipment maker, or property owner — not your own employer. It does not target your job the way people fear, and pursuing it alongside comp is common.
How much does a workplace injury lawyer cost?
We handle these third-party cases on a contingency basis for cases we take, which means no fee unless we recover, and the initial review is always free. These cases can be expensive to investigate, and we advance the costs. Cost should never stop you from finding out where you stand.
Ready to find out where you stand?
The case review takes about two minutes. It's free and confidential, with no obligation.