Workers Compensation & Latino Employees
Latino Workers Face Greater Risk of Injury
in Los Angeles & California –
Workers Compensation is an important issue for Latino workers in the Los Angeles area – and all of California – because of the increased risk of injury or death in the workplace faced by Latino employees.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the number of Latino workers who are injured annually is higher than any other group of workers. In 2003-2006, Bureau of Labor Statistics published reports indicating that Latino worker fatality rates were tragically 35% higher than the fatality rates of all other workers.
In the last few years – in spite of improvements in safety technology – there has actually been an increase in worker injuries and fatalities in the Latino community in California. In 2012, for example, 37% of fatalities in the work place were Latino workers. In 2013, the percentage of Latino worker fatalities had risen to 49% (197 non-Hispanic & 188 Hispanic workers killed).
As dedicated members of the non-profit organization Latino Comp our attorneys are appalled by these statistics. Latino Comp is a non-profit organization that consists of attorneys, hearing representatives, rehabilitation counselors, interpreters, medical workers and other support service providers who are dedicated to enhancing the quality of representation for Latino workers at the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board.
Initial information suggests that Latino workers are the victims of work-related injuries and fatalities more than other groups for two reasons:
- First, on average, Latino workers engage in work that is more dangerous than the work done by other groups. This includes manual labor, operating machinery and working in an outdoor environment.
- Secondly, if English is a workers’ second language, proper safety information may not be communicated as thoroughly or successfully to them.
Shady Employers Often Try to Avoid Workers Comp
for Injured Latino Workers in Los Angeles
But the problem may be even bigger than the rate of workplace injuries for Latinos. As experienced attorneys, we have also encounter unscrupulous employers who simply ignore safety concerns to save costs. Appallingly, some employers may be more likely to skimp on safety with a Latino workforce because they assume that the Latino workers will be less likely to report a dangerous workplace and/or file a claim if they are injured.
For this reason, it is extremely important that members of Los Angeles Latino community contact an experienced – and sympathetic – workers compensation attorney if they have been injured on the job. Similarly, if a family has lost a loved one due to a work related death, they should also contact an experienced workers compensation attorney.
Immigration status also should not stop a Latino worker from pursuing a rightful workers compensation claim. Undocumented workers – whether or not they are legally authorized to work in the United States – CAN collect Workers Compensation if a work related injury renders them unable to work.
We Are Workers Comp Attorneys for the Latino Community in LA
Our workers compensation attorneys understand the unique needs of the Latino community. Senior partner Mario Cruz is a founder and officer of Latino Comp, as well as a member of the Mexican American Bar Association, and is fluent in Spanish. He is here to help the Latino community get the compensation that they deserve if they have been injured in the workplace.
Our Workers Compensation attorneys fight tirelessly to make that all Latino workers – including undocumented or migrant workers – get the Workers Compensation they deserve.
Más información sobre Compensación a los Trabajadores, en Español.
