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California workers' compensation

California Workers' Comp Claim Process, Step by Step

A California workers' comp claim moves through six stages: you report the injury and open the claim, get medical care, receive temporary disability pay while you recover, go through medical-legal evaluations that rate any lasting disability, take disputes to the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB) if needed, and settle or close the case. Each stage below links to plain-English guides for the steps and rules you may face.

If a step in your claim has stalled or gone wrong, you can call the firm at (661) 273-1780 for a free consultation. Each matter is reviewed individually.

Prepared by Yazdchi Law P.C. editorial contributors. How we prepare our content.

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Stage 1

Report the injury and open the claim

The first stage covers reporting the injury on time, filing the DWC-1 form, learning who counts as a covered worker, and getting a decision on the claim within 90 days.

Start with these guides

  1. California Workers' Comp Statute of Limitations
  2. First 24 Hours After a Work Injury: California Checklist
  3. First Week After a Work Injury: California Checklist
  4. DWC-1 Claim Form: How to File It in California (Labor Code 5401)
  5. Labor Code 3352: Who Counts as an Excluded Worker
  6. How to File a California Workers' Comp Claim
  7. Check if Your Employer Has Workers' Comp Insurance in California
  8. What Happens If My Employer Has No Workers Comp Insurance in California?
  9. Labor Code 5402: 90-Day Claim Rule
  10. Why Do Workers' Comp Claims Get Denied in California?

More guides for this stage

Stage 2

Get medical care

This stage covers choosing a treating doctor inside the MPN or your predesignated doctor, getting treatment approved, and fixing problems with mileage, bills, or denied care.

Start with these guides

  1. Workers' Comp Medical Care in California (2026 Guide)
  2. What Is a PTP (Primary Treating Physician) in Workers' Comp?
  3. What Is an MPN in California Workers' Comp?
  4. Should I Use the MPN or Predesignate My Doctor in California?
  5. California Workers' Comp Mileage Reimbursement 2026 Rate and Form
  6. Paid for Workers' Comp Medical Appointments During Work Hours?
  7. What Is Utilization Review in CA Workers' Comp?
  8. How to Request IMR After a California UR Treatment Denial
  9. Nurse Case Manager in Workers' Comp: Do You Have to Allow One?
  10. Workers' Comp Treatment Denied in California

More guides for this stage

Stage 3

Get paid while you recover

This stage covers temporary disability payments, light or modified duty, how SDI and other benefits interact with comp, and what happens if you quit, retire, or get fired while on claim.

Start with these guides

  1. When Does Workers' Comp Start Paying in California?
  2. How to Apply for Temporary Disability Benefits in California
  3. How Much Does Workers' Comp Pay in California? (2026 Rates)
  4. How Long Can I Receive Temporary Disability in California?
  5. Accepting Modified Duty vs Refusing Modified Duty in California Workers' Comp
  6. Do I Have To Accept Light Duty in California Workers' Comp?
  7. Light Duty Work and California Workers' Comp
  8. Workers' Comp Penalties in California: 10%, 25%, 50% More
  9. Can I Get Fired While on Workers' Comp in California?
  10. Can I Quit My Job While on Workers' Comp in California?

More guides for this stage

Stage 4

Medical-legal evaluations and disability ratings

This stage covers the QME and AME process, what happens after the exam, reaching MMI, and how permanent disability ratings and apportionment set your payout.

Start with these guides

  1. What Is a QME? Meaning and How It Works in California Workers' Comp
  2. QME vs AME in California Workers' Comp
  3. How Do I Choose a QME Doctor in California?
  4. Labor Code 4062.2: How to Strike a QME Panel in California
  5. Labor Code 4062.3: QME Records and Contact Rules
  6. What Happens After a QME Exam in California?
  7. Can I Get a Second Opinion After a Bad QME Report in California?
  8. What Is MMI in California Workers' Comp?
  9. How Does Apportionment Work in California Workers Comp?
  10. California Permanent Disability Ratings Explained

More guides for this stage

Stage 5

Your WCAB case

This stage covers filing an Application for Adjudication, finding your case in EAMS, conferences and hearings, depositions, liens, and appealing a judge's decision.

Start with these guides

  1. Workers' Comp Claim Denied in California? What to Do Next
  2. California Workers' Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB)
  3. What Is an Application for Adjudication of Claim in California?
  4. EAMS Case Search: How to Find Your WCAB Case in California
  5. What Is a Declaration of Readiness to Proceed in California?
  6. What Happens at a Mandatory Settlement Conference in California Workers Comp?
  7. Labor Code 5502: Expedited Hearings and Trial Timing
  8. What Happens at a California Workers' Comp Trial?
  9. California Workers' Comp Lien Claims Explained
  10. How to Appeal a Workers' Comp Decision in California

More guides for this stage

Stage 6

Settle and move forward

This stage covers compromise and release versus a stipulated award, how settlement value is calculated, taxes and Medicare set-asides, the SJDB voucher, and reopening a case later.

Start with these guides

  1. Workers' Comp Settlement in California
  2. When Will Workers' Comp Offer a Settlement in California?
  3. C&R vs Stipulated Award: Which Workers' Comp Settlement Fits You?
  4. Keep Medical Open or Close Out in California Workers Comp
  5. Workers' Comp Settlement Amounts by Injury in California (2026)
  6. Workers' Comp Settlement Calculator California (2026)
  7. Pre-Settlement Loans on a California Workers' Comp Case
  8. Is Workers' Comp Taxable in California? (2026 Answer)
  9. What Is the SJDB Voucher and How Do I Claim It in California?
  10. Workers' Comp 5-Year Rule in California (Labor Code 5410)

More guides for this stage

Guides for specific injuries and situations

These guides cover a particular injury, job or situation and apply across several stages.