The California Labor Code provides multiple remedies to the worker injured “on the job.” To access remedies, the injured worker needs to perfect his/her claim. The process should start with making known to the employer the work injury. The sooner, the better! A report to a supervisor or manager is often sufficient. A copy of a written report by the workers can be useful if later the employer denies such claim was filed. A good next step is to file your written claim form (DWC-1 Form) with human resources or “the boss.” Your employer should provide this form within one day of your report.
Experienced counsel often hears a litany of reasons why worker claims are not actually filed with the employer (example: “...I thought the boss would think I was being disloyal to the company” - or a host of other explanations for why the workers didn’t file a claim).