Understanding Pre-Existing injuries in Workers’ Comp
Release Date: 07/01/2022
Seasonal Worker in California? Do You Get Workers’ Comp?
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Episode #165 Your job is temporary. But what happens if your injury isn’t? Welcome back to Work Comp Talk! In this new episode, we’re introducing a brand-new series created to help California workers protect themselves during seasonal and temporary jobs. Seasonal Job Alert is here to help you know the traps, understand the resources available to you, and protect what matters most, your claim, your health, and your money. Because when you’re hired for a temporary job, it’s easy to think: “It’s only temporary. What could happen?” But...
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3 Real Workers’ Comp Fraud Cases Explained
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Episode #164 Three real California workers’ comp cases. Three very different ways things can go wrong. In this episode of Work Comp Talk, Carmen and attorney Bilal break down three 2026 workers’ compensation cases involving millions of dollars in alleged fraud, surveillance evidence, disputed workplace injuries, and benefits intended for injured workers. But this isn't just a news recap. The bigger question is: What can injured workers learn from these real cases? We look at what happened, what the cases can teach us, and what injured workers should...
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No Accident. No Fall. Still a Workers’ Comp Claim? | Cumulative Trauma Explained
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Episode #164 What if your job didn’t injure you in one moment… but slowly damaged your body over the years? You never slipped. You never fell. Nothing dramatic happened. But your back started hurting. Your knees got worse. Your wrists didn’t work the way they used to. You thought: “Maybe I’m just getting older.” But what if your job was part of the reason? Welcome to the final episode of our Injury by Injury series, where Carmen Ramirez sits down with attorney Mark Thuesen to explain one of the most misunderstood Workers’...
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Think Your Hand Injury Isn’t Serious? Watch This Before You Settle
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Episode #162: How much is a hand or wrist injury worth in California Workers’ Comp? If you’re dealing with hand pain, numb fingers, carpal tunnel, loss of grip strength, a wrist injury, or a serious hand injury, you may be wondering what your case could actually be worth, and what mistakes could hurt your settlement. In Part 4 of our “Injury by Injury” series, Carmen Ramirez sits down with Bilal Kassem, President of Pacific Workers and an experienced California Workers’ Compensation attorney, to break down one of the most common, and potentially misunderstood,...
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Knee Injury Workers' Comp in California: Treatment, Denials & Settlement Value Explained
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Episode #161 – Knee Injuries What happens when your knees become the reason you can’t work the way you used to? Knee pain can start with something that seems minor, soreness after a long shift, swelling, stiffness, or pain that comes and goes. But over time, a knee injury can affect much more than your job. It can change the way you walk, put stress on your other knee or back, limit what you can do at home, and impact your family and quality of life. In this episode of WorkComp Talk, Carmen Ramirez is joined by Shane McKay, an experienced California workers’...
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Shoulder Injury Workers’ Comp Settlement: How Much Is Your Case Worth in California?
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Episode #160 - Shoulder pain after work? That “small pull” you ignored could become a serious workers’ compensation issue. If you suffered a shoulder injury at work in California, learn your rights and get a free consultation: Welcome back to WorkComp Talk. This episode is part of our series: Understanding Your Workers’ Compensation Case: Injury by Injury. In our last episode, we covered back injuries, one of the most common workplace injuries in California. Today, we continue the series with another common work-related injury: shoulder...
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Back Injury Workers' Comp Guide (2026): Treatment, Benefits & Settlement Explained
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Most workers don't lose money because of their back injury... they lose it because they wait too long to take action. A small back injury can quickly become months of physical therapy, MRIs, injections, surgery... and a workers' compensation case worth thousands of dollars. But what most injured workers don't realize is that the biggest mistakes usually happen long before the settlement. If you've hurt your back at work, this episode could save you from making one of them. 👉 Have questions about your case? Schedule your FREE...
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Why Your Workers' Comp Treatment Keeps Getting Delayed (2026 California Rule Changes)
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Your doctor says you need treatment… but the insurance company keeps delaying it. Every week you wait, your injury could get worse. So why does this happen, and what changed in California's workers' compensation system in 2026? You don't have to navigate the California workers' compensation system alone. Click the link below to schedule your FREE consultation and get answers specific to your case In episode #158 of Work Comp Talk, host Carmen Ramirez sits down with Bilal Kassem, President of Pacific Workers and a California workers'...
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Sacramento Warehouse Jobs Are Causing More Injuries Than People Admit
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Every day, warehouse workers in Sacramento are getting injured, but most of them don’t realize the real damage isn’t just the injury, it’s what happens to their workers’ comp case after. Back pain, shoulder injuries, knee damage, and cumulative trauma are becoming a silent crisis inside California warehouses. And while workers keep pushing through the pain, many are unknowingly losing money on their settlement and payout without even questioning it. If you are dealing with pain, delays, or confusion about your checks, don’t wait until your case is already...
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New 2026 Workers’ Comp Rules May Be Reducing Your Payments
Work Comp Talk Podcast
Could your Workers’ Comp check in 2026 already be wrong and you don’t even know it? Most injured workers assume the system automatically calculates everything correctly. You get hurt. You get paid. Everything is accurate. But that’s not how it works. In reality, payments change, calculations shift, and many workers in California are receiving less money than they should without realizing it. If this is happening to you, request your free consultation here: Fill out the form and our team will call you right away. In...
info_outlineIn this episode, Bilal Kassem, President of Pacific Workers’ shares examples of how the CA Workers’ Comp System handles cases with pre-existing injuries.
Work injuries happen all the time. Some injuries are easy to recover from, but others are difficult especially if you have pre-existing injuries. This is one of those subjects within the workers’ comp system that no injured worker should dive into alone and in fact, Lawyers litigate this type of case often. You see, doctors need to determine the liability a workers’ comp insurance has for any industrial injuries that add to an existing injury.
Sometimes cases are dismissed due to the pre-existing injury. Doctors may determine that the industrial injury did not contribute to what happened. We highly recommend listening to this podcast and getting legal advice if you have pre-existing injuries and injured yourself again.