How do I choose a workers' comp attorney in California?

Start with the State Bar of California's public records to confirm active licensure and a clean discipline history, then ask how regularly the attorney appears at the Workers' Compensation Appeals Board district office handling your claim. Fees require board approval under Labor Code section 4906, so cost structures are directly comparable between offices.

Workers' compensation is an administrative practice, so the useful measures are venue-specific. Ask how often the attorney appears at the WCAB district office where your case will be heard, how the office manages Qualified Medical Evaluator selection and scheduling — the medical-legal record usually decides the case — and who will personally handle hearings and communication. Because Labor Code section 4906 requires the appeals board to approve every fee, typically taken as a percentage of the permanent disability recovery at the end, price rarely differentiates offices; responsiveness and medical-record strategy do. Two screening questions reveal depth quickly: whether your facts support a separate third-party civil claim (a defective machine, a negligent driver) that can be pursued alongside the compensation case, and whether any retaliation for filing should be addressed under Labor Code section 132a. Finally, confirm the license: the State Bar of California's records show status and any public discipline, and only an active licensee may practice under Business and Professions Code section 6125.

Authority: Cal. Lab. Code § 4906