“Eman really knows his stuff and we were very pleased with our end result.”
Myretta & Thomas Knorr
✦ Board-Certified Specialist in Workers’ Compensation Law — State Bar of California ✦
Construction is California’s most dangerous industry. When you’re injured, experience matters.
By Eman Yazdchi, Esq. · Certified Specialist in Workers' Compensation Law
Pasadena's blend of historic architecture and modern development creates a construction environment unlike any other city in Los Angeles County. Workers here are renovating century-old Craftsman homes in the Bungalow Heaven neighborhood, retrofitting commercial buildings along Colorado Boulevard, building out new laboratory and technology spaces, and maintaining the Rose Bowl's facilities for year-round events. Each of these projects carries serious injury risks, and when a construction worker is hurt on a Pasadena job site, the workers' compensation claim that follows is often complicated by subcontracting layers, historic building hazards, and insurers who fight to minimize payouts.
At Yazdchi Law P.C., board-certified workers' compensation specialist Eman Yazdchi represents construction workers who have been injured on Pasadena job sites. From falls off scaffolding during commercial renovations to toxic exposure during asbestos abatement in older buildings, we handle the full range of construction injury claims and understand the unique challenges this industry presents.
Pasadena's construction landscape differs from other parts of Los Angeles County in several important ways:
Historic renovation and restoration. Pasadena has one of the highest concentrations of historic structures in Southern California. Renovating buildings from the early 1900s exposes workers to asbestos in insulation and flooring, lead paint on woodwork and walls, knob-and-tube wiring that creates electrocution hazards, and structurally compromised materials that increase collapse risks. The Craftsman homes, Spanish Colonial Revival commercial buildings, and Beaux-Arts civic structures that define Pasadena's character were built with materials and methods that create modern occupational hazards.
Institutional construction. Caltech, JPL, Huntington Hospital, and other major institutions undertake regular construction and renovation projects. These sites involve specialized work — building cleanrooms, installing laboratory ventilation systems, constructing radiation shielding — that requires tradespeople to work in environments with unique hazards. Chemical residues in decommissioned laboratory spaces can create unexpected exposure risks for demolition and renovation crews.
Seismic retrofitting. Pasadena, like all of Los Angeles County, has a significant inventory of soft-story buildings requiring mandatory retrofit. This work involves cutting structural steel, installing moment frames, and shoring existing structures — all high-risk activities performed in confined and awkward spaces.
Rose Bowl and event infrastructure. Construction and maintenance work at the Rose Bowl and associated facilities involves heavy equipment operation, elevated work on grandstands and lighting structures, and the pressure of compressed timelines before major events.
A roofer replacing the clay tile roof on a 1920s commercial building on East Colorado Boulevard falls when the aged roof decking gives way beneath him. He sustains a fractured pelvis and bilateral wrist fractures. The general contractor's insurance carrier argues that the roofer was an independent contractor rather than an employee. We apply the ABC test under California Assembly Bill 5 and establish that the roofer was properly classified as an employee entitled to workers' compensation benefits. The claim is accepted and the worker receives full medical treatment, temporary disability, and substantial permanent disability benefits.
An electrician performing renovation work in a former laboratory space at a Pasadena research campus disturbs material containing asbestos fibers during demolition. He was not informed that the building contained asbestos, and no abatement was performed prior to demolition. Months later, chest imaging reveals pleural changes. We file a workers' comp claim and simultaneously report the violation to Cal/OSHA. Under LC section 5400, the worker has 30 days from knowledge of the injury to report, but occupational disease claims have special rules regarding the date of injury that can extend this timeline.
A laborer working on a seismic retrofit in Pasadena's historic district is struck by a falling steel beam when a temporary support fails. He suffers a traumatic brain injury and multiple orthopedic injuries. The case involves a specific injury claim with catastrophic consequences — potential life pension under the permanent disability rating schedule, extended temporary disability beyond the standard 104-week cap, and future medical care that will span decades. We file the claim, secure emergency medical authorization, and begin building the medical-legal record immediately.
A concrete worker on a new mixed-use development near Old Town Pasadena develops bilateral knee damage from years of kneeling on hard surfaces. This cumulative trauma claim is filed separately from any specific injury and covers the entire period of harmful employment under LC section 5500.5. The insurer argues the knee conditions are degenerative. Our medical evaluator documents the specific mechanism by which chronic kneeling causes chondromalacia and meniscal damage, distinguishing industrial causation from age-related changes.
Construction workers have the same rights under workers' compensation as any other employee. Under LC section 3700, every employer must carry workers' compensation insurance. When subcontractors fail to maintain coverage — a common problem in the construction industry — the general contractor is liable for the subcontractor's employees under LC section 2750.5.
You are entitled to medical treatment under LC section 4600, temporary disability under LC section 4650, and permanent disability based on the lasting impact of your injury. For severe injuries common in construction — spinal fractures, traumatic brain injuries, amputations, and serious burns — permanent disability ratings can reach 70 percent or higher, qualifying you for a life pension that pays benefits until age 65 or beyond.
Construction workers also have the right to be free from retaliation under LC section 132a. If your employer terminates you, reduces your hours, or refuses to rehire you because you filed a workers' comp claim, that is illegal discrimination and carries additional penalties.
Construction injury claims are among the most complex in workers' compensation because they involve multi-employer job sites, frequent subcontracting, potential uninsured employer issues, and injuries that are often severe. Eman Yazdchi's board certification ensures that these complexities are handled by an attorney who has been independently verified as having advanced expertise in the field.
We handle Pasadena construction cases at the Van Nuys WCAB and work on a contingency basis — you owe no fee unless we recover benefits for you.
Injured at work in Pasadena? Call (661) 273-1780
Tap to call →Construction injuries can be life-altering. If you have been hurt on a Pasadena construction site, contact Yazdchi Law P.C. immediately for a free consultation. We will evaluate your claim, identify all responsible parties, and begin fighting for the benefits you need to recover and support your family.
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