How long do I have to file a workers' comp claim in Los Angeles?

In California, injured workers generally have one year from the date of injury to file a workers' compensation claim, as set out under California Labor Code Section 5405. However, for occupational diseases or cumulative trauma injuries — common in Los Angeles industries like garment manufacturing, warehouse logistics, and film production — the clock may start from when you first knew or should have known the injury was work-related. Missing this deadline can permanently bar your right to benefits, so it is critical to consult a workers' compensation attorney in Los Angeles as soon as possible after a workplace injury.

Which WCAB office handles workers' comp cases in Los Angeles?

Most workers' compensation cases in the City of Los Angeles are handled by the Los Angeles WCAB district office located at 300 Oceangate, Long Beach, CA 90802, or the Van Nuys WCAB office at 6150 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401, depending on where the injury occurred. The specific venue is determined by the location of injury or your employer's principal place of business. Reuben J. Felstiner has represented clients at both WCAB offices for over 30 years and is familiar with the local judges, procedures, and timelines at each location.

What benefits can I receive from a workers' comp claim in California?

California workers' compensation provides several categories of benefits: medical treatment (all reasonably necessary care), temporary disability (approximately two-thirds of your average weekly wage while you cannot work), permanent disability (a monetary award if you have lasting impairment), supplemental job displacement benefits (vocational retraining vouchers), and death benefits for eligible dependents. In Los Angeles, where wages vary widely across industries, the value of your temporary and permanent disability benefits is directly tied to your earnings — making accurate wage documentation critical. An experienced workers' comp attorney will ensure your wages are properly calculated to maximize your benefit entitlement.

Can I be fired for filing a workers' compensation claim in Los Angeles?

No. California Labor Code Section 132a prohibits employers from discriminating against employees who file a workers' compensation claim, including termination, demotion, or reduction of hours. If your employer retaliates against you for filing a claim, you may be entitled to additional compensation of up to $10,000 plus costs and attorney's fees under a Section 132a petition filed with the WCAB. Retaliation is unfortunately not uncommon in Los Angeles industries with large non-union workforces, such as food service, warehousing, and construction. The Law Offices of Reuben J. Felstiner regularly handles 132a petitions alongside the underlying workers' comp claim.

How long do I have to file a workers’ comp claim in Los Angeles?

In California, injured workers generally have one year from the date of injury to file a workers’ compensation claim, under California Labor Code Section 5405. However, for occupational diseases or cumulative trauma injuries — common in Los Angeles industries like garment manufacturing, warehouse logistics, and film production — the clock may start from when you first knew or should have known the injury was work-related. Missing this deadline can permanently bar your right to benefits. Consult a workers’ compensation attorney in Los Angeles as soon as possible after any workplace injury.

Which WCAB office handles workers’ comp cases in Los Angeles?

Most workers’ compensation cases in the City of Los Angeles are handled by the Los Angeles WCAB district office at 300 Oceangate, Long Beach, CA 90802, or the Van Nuys WCAB office at 6150 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401, depending on where the injury occurred. The specific venue is determined by the location of injury or your employer’s principal place of business. Reuben J. Felstiner has represented clients at both offices for over 30 years and is familiar with local judges, procedures, and timelines at each location.

What benefits can I receive from a workers’ comp claim in California?

California workers’ compensation provides medical treatment (all reasonably necessary care), temporary disability (approximately two-thirds of your average weekly wage while you cannot work), permanent disability (a monetary award for lasting impairment), supplemental job displacement benefits (vocational retraining vouchers), and death benefits for eligible dependents. In Los Angeles, where wages vary widely across industries, accurate wage documentation is critical — your temporary and permanent disability benefits are directly tied to your earnings. An experienced attorney ensures your wages are properly calculated to maximize your benefit entitlement.

Can I be fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim in Los Angeles?

No. California Labor Code Section 132a prohibits employers from discriminating against employees who file a workers’ compensation claim, including termination, demotion, or reduction of hours. If your employer retaliates, you may be entitled to additional compensation of up to $10,000 plus costs and attorney’s fees under a Section 132a petition filed with the WCAB. Retaliation is unfortunately not uncommon in Los Angeles industries with large non-union workforces, such as food service, warehousing, and construction. The Law Offices of Reuben J. Felstiner regularly handles 132a petitions alongside the underlying workers’ comp claim.

Workers' Compensation Attorney Los Angeles CA | Law Offices of Reuben J. Felstiner

Los Angeles is one of the largest and most diverse employment markets in the world — and one of the most dangerous for workers. From the film and television production sets of Hollywood to the port logistics corridors of San Pedro and Wilmington, from construction crews building across the metro area to restaurant and hospitality workers serving millions of visitors each year — workers in Los Angeles suffer serious on-the-job injuries every single day. If you or a family member has been hurt at work in Los Angeles County, you have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim under California law.

The Law Offices of Reuben J. Felstiner has been representing injured workers throughout the greater Los Angeles area for over 30 years. We know how the California Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) operates, we know the tactics insurance companies use to delay and minimize claims, and we know how to fight for the full benefits our clients deserve. Spanish-speaking staff is available, and we charge no fee unless you win.

Los Angeles workers’ comp cases move through the California WCAB system, and the LA market is served by two primary district offices: the

Los Angeles / Long Beach WCAB (300 Oceangate, Long Beach, CA 90802) handles cases from much of LA County, including industries centered in the port corridor, Southeast LA, and the South Bay. The Van Nuys WCAB (6150 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401) serves the San Fernando Valley and parts of central LA. Knowing which office governs your case, and which judges tend to handle specific industries, matters enormously to the outcome. Attorney Reuben J. Felstiner has appeared before both offices for over three decades.

Beyond venue, Los Angeles workers face unique challenges that make legal representation critical:

Insurance carriers in LA frequently dispute claims or delay authorization for medical treatment, especially in high-volume industries like hospitality and logistics.
Many LA employers — particularly in garment, food service, and construction — employ large non-union workforces where retaliation for filing a claim is a real risk.
Wage calculation errors are common: LA’s wide pay spectrum means even a small error in your average weekly wage can cost you thousands of dollars in disability benefits.
Occupational diseases from cumulative exposure — chemical exposure in manufacturing, repetitive strain in assembly and warehousing — are frequently denied as “not work-related.” An attorney knows how to build the medical record to overcome these denials.

Our firm represents workers across the full spectrum of Los Angeles industries. Here are some of the situations we handle regularly:

1. Entertainment Industry Workers

Los Angeles is the global center of film, television, and live event production. Grip and lighting crew, set construction workers, camera operators, and production assistants face risks including falls from heights, equipment accidents, electrical hazards, and cumulative musculoskeletal injuries from physically demanding shoots. Workers’ comp claims involving entertainment productions can be complex due to the involvement of multiple production companies, loan-out agreements, and union vs. non-union status. We untangle these issues to identify the right employer and insurance carrier.

2. Warehouse, Logistics & Port Workers

Los Angeles is the nation’s busiest port complex. Longshoremen, warehouse workers, forklift operators, and truck drivers in and around the Port of Los Angeles, the I-710 corridor, and the Inland Empire logistics hubs suffer some of the highest injury rates of any workforce. Common injuries include back and spine injuries from heavy lifting, crush and forklift accidents, and repetitive stress injuries. These workers often face aggressive defense from large, well-insured employers. We have the experience to go up against them.

3. Construction Workers

Los Angeles has experienced a construction boom across residential, commercial, and infrastructure sectors. Construction workers face falls from scaffolding and ladders, struck-by accidents, power tool injuries, and long-term occupational diseases from asbestos and silica exposure in older structures. California’s workers’ comp system provides robust benefits for construction injuries, but claims must be filed correctly and supported with strong medical evidence. We represent both union and non-union construction workers throughout LA County.

4. Restaurant, Hotel & Hospitality Workers

Los Angeles’s massive hospitality industry — hotels, restaurants, catering, and theme parks — employs hundreds of thousands of workers in physically demanding roles. Slip and fall injuries in commercial kitchens, burn injuries, repetitive stress in food service, and assault by customers or guests are all compensable injuries. Many hospitality workers are part-time, seasonal, or employed through staffing agencies, which can complicate who bears responsibility. We identify all potentially liable employers and ensure our clients receive the full benefits owed.

5. Healthcare Workers

Los Angeles County’s health system is one of the largest in the nation, with tens of thousands of nurses, orderlies, technicians, and support staff. Healthcare workers face back and musculoskeletal injuries from patient handling, needle-stick injuries, workplace violence, and occupational illness from pathogen exposure. PTSD and other psychological injuries are increasingly recognized under California workers’ comp law as compensable for healthcare workers who experience traumatic incidents on the job.

6. Office & Remote Workers

Not all workers’ comp injuries happen on a factory floor. Los Angeles’s large professional and tech workforce experiences repetitive strain injuries (carpal tunnel, tendinitis), ergonomic injuries from inadequate remote work setups, and psychological injuries from workplace harassment or high-pressure environments. California law covers these injuries, but they are frequently contested. We help office workers document and pursue these less visible but equally valid claims.

Reuben J. Felstiner has exclusively represented injured workers — never insurance companies — for over three decades. He has appeared before the Los Angeles and Van Nuys WCAB district offices in hundreds of cases, representing workers from the entertainment industry, construction trades, healthcare, logistics, and service sectors.

Our office is located at 1101 N La Brea Ave, Inglewood, CA 90302 — centrally positioned to serve clients throughout Los Angeles County. We offer consultations in both English and Spanish, accommodate clients who cannot travel due to their injuries, and handle all WCAB appearances on your behalf.

Attorney Felstiner’s approach is straightforward: we gather the medical evidence, negotiate aggressively, and — if necessary — take your case to a WCAB hearing to get you the benefits the law requires.

How long do I have to file a workers’ comp claim in Los Angeles?
In California, injured workers generally have one year from the date of injury to file a workers’ compensation claim, under California Labor Code Section 5405. However, for occupational diseases or cumulative trauma injuries — common in Los Angeles industries like garment manufacturing, warehouse logistics, and film production — the clock may start from when you first knew or should have known the injury was work-related. Missing this deadline can permanently bar your right to benefits. Consult a workers’ compensation attorney in Los Angeles as soon as possible after any workplace injury.
Which WCAB office handles workers’ comp cases in Los Angeles?
Most workers’ compensation cases in the City of Los Angeles are handled by the Los Angeles WCAB district office at 300 Oceangate, Long Beach, CA 90802, or the Van Nuys WCAB office at 6150 Van Nuys Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91401, depending on where the injury occurred. The specific venue is determined by the location of injury or your employer’s principal place of business. Reuben J. Felstiner has represented clients at both offices for over 30 years and is familiar with local judges, procedures, and timelines at each location.
What benefits can I receive from a workers’ comp claim in California?
California workers’ compensation provides medical treatment (all reasonably necessary care), temporary disability (approximately two-thirds of your average weekly wage while you cannot work), permanent disability (a monetary award for lasting impairment), supplemental job displacement benefits (vocational retraining vouchers), and death benefits for eligible dependents. In Los Angeles, where wages vary widely across industries, accurate wage documentation is critical — your temporary and permanent disability benefits are directly tied to your earnings. An experienced attorney ensures your wages are properly calculated to maximize your benefit entitlement.
Can I be fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim in Los Angeles?
No. California Labor Code Section 132a prohibits employers from discriminating against employees who file a workers’ compensation claim, including termination, demotion, or reduction of hours. If your employer retaliates, you may be entitled to additional compensation of up to $10,000 plus costs and attorney’s fees under a Section 132a petition filed with the WCAB. Retaliation is unfortunately not uncommon in Los Angeles industries with large non-union workforces, such as food service, warehousing, and construction. The Law Offices of Reuben J. Felstiner regularly handles 132a petitions alongside the underlying workers’ comp claim.

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Frequently Asked Questions — Workers’ Comp in Los Angeles

How long do I have to file a workers’ comp claim in Los Angeles?

Which WCAB office handles workers’ comp cases in Los Angeles?

What benefits can I receive from a workers’ comp claim in California?

Can I be fired for filing a workers’ compensation claim in Los Angeles?

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