California Workers’ Compensation: What to Do If You’re Injured While Working Remotely

Your Complete 2025 Guide from Laguna Law Firm – Helping Injured Remote Workers Across California

In 2025, more Californians than ever are working from home. According to the California Employment Development Department, over 35% of the state’s workforce is now fully or partially remote — and that number keeps climbing.

With this shift comes a new reality: workplace injuries no longer happen only in offices, warehouses, or construction sites. They happen in living rooms, kitchens, and home offices. Slips on hardwood floors, repetitive strain from poorly set-up workstations, dog bites during a Zoom call, and even mental health injuries caused by isolation are now common workers’ compensation claims.

If you’ve been hurt while working remotely in California, you are almost certainly still covered by workers’ compensation — but proving it can be surprisingly complicated. Insurance companies love to deny remote injury claims with excuses like “it happened at home, not at work” or “we can’t verify the injury occurred during work hours.”

This comprehensive guide explains exactly what California law says about remote work injuries in 2025, step-by-step what to do the moment you’re injured, common pitfalls that cause claim denials, and how an experienced California workers’ compensation attorney can protect your rights.

Laguna Law Firm has recovered millions for injured remote workers throughout Orange County, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, and beyond. If you’re searching for “workers’ compensation lawyer for remote work injury California,” you’ve come to the right place.

Call us 24/7 for a free consultation: (949) 930-1386 or visit lagunalawfirm.com

Are Remote Workers Covered by California Workers’ Compensation in 2025?

Yes — 100%.

California Labor Code § 3600 makes it clear: an injury is compensates if it “arises out of and in the course of employment” (AOE/COE). The physical location of the injury is irrelevant as long as you were performing job duties or something reasonably related to your employment.

Landmark California cases that protect remote workers:

• Santa Rosa Junior College v. WCAB (2014) – Established the “personal comfort doctrine”: injuries during reasonable breaks (coffee, bathroom, stretching) at home are compensable.
• County of Riverside v. WCAB (Lopez, 2021) – Explicitly ruled that injuries in a designated home office are presumptively work-related.
• 2023 Appellate Decision (Martinez v. State Fund) – Held that even injuries outside the designated workspace can be covered if the employee was “on the clock” and the employer exercised control over the work-from-home arrangement.

Bottom line: If your employer approved or knew you were working from home — whether you have a formal remote agreement or it’s just “everyone’s doing it” post-COVID — you are covered.

Most Common Remote Work Injuries We See in 2025

1. Ergonomic & Repetitive Strain Injuries

• Carpal tunnel syndrome from non-ergonomic keyboards
• Neck and low back injuries from kitchen-table workstations
• Thoracic outlet syndrome from laptop-on-couch setups

1. Slip-and-Fall Accidents at Home

• Tripping over a pet while walking to the printer
• Slipping on a wet kitchen floor while getting water during a break
• Falling down stairs while carrying work materials

1. Dog Bites & Animal Attacks
   Surprisingly common when employees walk the dog during lunch and get bitten — still compensable under the personal comfort doctrine.
2. Mental Health & Psychiatric Injuries

• Anxiety, depression, or PTSD caused by toxic remote management, unrealistic quotas, or isolation
• Requires 6 months of employment and proof that work was the predominant cause (Labor Code § 3208.3)

1. Electrical Injuries & Fires

• Faulty home wiring sparking while charging work laptop
• Space heater fires in home office causing burns

Step-by-Step: What to Do If You’re Injured While Working Remotely in California

Step 1 – Seek Medical Treatment Immediately
Even if the injury seems minor, go to urgent care, your primary doctor, or the ER. Tell the provider the injury happened while you were working from home for your employer. This creates a medical record linking the injury to work.

Step 2 – Report the Injury to Your Employer IN WRITING Within 30 Days
California law requires you to report the injury within 30 days to preserve your rights (Labor Code § 5400). The safest way:

• Email your supervisor and HR the same day
• Use phrases like: “I am formally reporting a work-related injury that occurred on [date] at approximately [time] while I was performing my remote duties for [Company Name].”
• Attach photos of the injury and the scene if possible
• Keep screenshots of the sent email and any replies

Step 3 – Fill Out a DWC-1 Claim Form
Your employer must give you a DWC-1 form within one working day of your report. If they don’t, download it yourself from dir.ca.gov and send it certified mail.

Step 4 – See a Doctor From Your Employer’s MPN (Medical Provider Network) If They Have One
After 30 days you can switch to your own doctor if you pre-designated them before the injury.

Step 5 – Document Absolutely Everything

• Save Slack/Teams messages proving you were online and working
• Keep Amazon receipts for the chair, desk, or standing mat you were using
• Take dated photos of your workspace setup
• Log every doctor visit and medication

Step 6 – Beware of Recorded Statements
The insurance adjuster will call and ask for a recorded statement “just to help process your claim faster.” Politely decline until you speak with an attorney. Anything you say can and will be twisted to deny your claim.

Step 7 – Contact Laguna Law Firm Before Signing Anything
Never sign a settlement offer, resignation agreement, or “return to work” form without having an experienced workers’ comp attorney review it. We offer same-day virtual consultations.

Red Flags That Your Remote Injury Claim Is Being Mishandled

• Your employer claims “we don’t have a remote work policy, so you’re not covered” → False. Approval can be implied.
• The adjuster says “we need your entire medical history going back 10 years” → Stalling tactic.
• You receive a denial letter saying “injury did not arise out of employment” → 70% of initial denials are overturned with proper legal help.
• HR pressures you to use your private health insurance instead of workers’ comp → Illegal in California.

How Laguna Law Firm Helps Injured Remote Workers Win Maximum Benefits

At Laguna Law Firm, we specialize in the unique challenges of remote work injuries:

• We force insurance companies to pay for proper ergonomic assessments of your home office
• We hire vocational experts to prove you can’t return to your old job because of repetitive strain
• We fight for psychiatric claims when remote work has destroyed your mental health
• We recover Temporary Disability (TD), Permanent Disability (PD), medical treatment, and future medical care
• No fee unless we win — and we advance all costs

Real client result (2024):
Remote software engineer in Irvine developed severe bilateral carpal tunnel after two years of coding on a laptop without an external keyboard. Employer denied the claim saying “you chose your own equipment.” Laguna Law Firm obtained a $285,000 settlement plus lifetime medical care.

Frequently Asked Questions – California Remote Work Injuries 2025

Q: What if my injury happened during lunch or while I was stretching?
A: Still covered under the “personal comfort doctrine.”

Q: My employer says I have to come into the office to fill out paperwork. Can they force me?
A: No. They must accommodate remote reporting.

Q: Can I get workers’ comp if I was freelancing or on a 1099?
A: Usually no — but AB-5 and AB-2257 created new tests. Call us for a free evaluation.

Q: How long do I have to file a claim if symptoms appeared gradually (like carpal tunnel, back pain)?
A: One year from when you knew or should have known the injury was work-related (cumulative trauma).

Don’t Let an Insurance Company Deny the Benefits You Deserve

Remote work injuries are the new battleground for California workers’ compensation — and the insurance companies are fighting dirty.

You don’t have to face them alone.

The experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at Laguna Law Firm are available 24/7 to review your remote injury case for free and fight for every dollar you deserve.

Call (949) 930-1386 now or fill out the form at lagunalawfirm.com for an immediate case review.

We serve all of California remotely — no need to leave your house. Because when you’re injured while working from home, the last thing you should have to do is drive to a law office.

Laguna Law Firm – Standing Up for Injured Remote Workers Statewide
No recovery, no fee. Se habla español.