Call Today For A Free Consultation: 805-214-8888
At Ghitterman, Ghitterman & Feld, our Santa Barbara workers’ compensation lawyers have taken great pride in representing and protecting the rights of California workers since 1956.
We are more than attorneys, we are advocates who provide precise legal advice and representation that exceeds our clients’ expectations so they can focus on regaining control of their lives. This includes helping workers pursue the state’s Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) for their financial support needs.
SIBTF is a California fund that provides additional workers’ compensation benefits to injured workers who have a pre-existing disability. We understand that getting hurt at work the first time causes significant challenges when pursuing other roles that accommodate our client’s injuries.
When our clients suffer a subsequent injury, it can change their lives in ways they never imagined. Our skilled SIBTF attorneys and support staff apply our decades of experience and extensive resources to help our clients pursue maximum compensation for their injuries as we stand side-by-side throughout the legal process.
Our managing partners, Russell Ghitterman and Benjamin Feld, are both Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation with the State Bar of California, making ours one of the only law firms in the state to focus on important SIBTF cases.
Because SIBTF is an underused benefit within California’s workers’ compensation system, our attorneys represent clients who contact us directly and are happy to take referrals from other law firms who need our specialized help to ensure their clients have access to these important benefits.
We are champions for justice, starting with your case. Contact us today to learn more.
Created in 1945 amidst the ending of World War II, the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund (SIBTF) was created to encourage employers to hire returning disabled veterans. Many employers were concerned that they would be held fully financially responsible when a previously disabled veteran was re-injured due to returning to employment. To temper this concern, the SIBTF was instituted as a buffer, holding the employer accountable only for the new work injury, yet providing a resource to the veteran employee who could no longer easily compete in the labor market as result of the combination of the work injury on top of their pre-existing disabilities. Today, many employees from different lines of work are equally eligible to receive SIBTF benefits.
SIBTF benefits were fashioned to support employees who suffered from some type of preexisting disability, yet despite their disability were able to find work – only to get injured again at this work. To qualify for SIBTF benefits, an individual must be substantially limited by the cumulative effects of their pre-existing and work-related disabilities. The SIBTF provides these injured workers with lifetime payments that help them support themselves and their families.
To qualify for SIBTF benefits in California, an injured worker must meet the following criteria:
At Ghitterman, Ghitterman & Feld, many attorneys maintain a Certified Specialization in Workers’ Compensation from the State Bar of California, which is achieved and held by less than 5% of workers’ compensation attorneys. We take this designation very seriously as the required skill level should be expected from the entire team at GGF from how we interact, handle every aspect of cases, and produce real results for real clients who need our help.
Our Santa Barbara workers’ compensation and SIBTF lawyers have protected our clients’ rights for nearly seven decades and remain dedicated to providing real-time, easy-to-understand answers so our clients always know where their cases stand. Your case is important to you and us. Allow us to review your unique injury circumstances during a free consultation so that you can confidently move forward with your claim.
Most injured workers are not even aware of the SIBTF and the benefits they may be entitled to. Even many attorneys and law firms that practice in the field of workers’ compensation may not be familiar with handling SIBTF cases due to their complexities and differences from other workers’ compensation cases.
However, at Ghitterman, Ghitterman, & Feld, we make identifying and handling SIBTF cases a priority, which has allowed our firm to develop substantial expertise in handling these cases. Our firm employs full-time staff solely focused on handling SIBTF cases. We continue to prosecute many of these cases, making them a focus of our practice.
We are passionate about ensuring that no stone is left unturned and looking for all possible claims when we meet with a prospective client, including SIBTF cases. We also assist other lawyers in handling these claims for their clients and provide referral fees on these cases.
At Ghitterman, Ghitterman & Feld, we have protected the rights of injured and disabled California residents and workers by helping them navigate the challenges from workers’ compensation insurance companies, the Social Security Administration, and governmental disability programs and liability insurance companies present at every turn.
We have six physical offices in Bakersfield, Fresno, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria, Ventura, and Visalia, and our top-tier technologies provide a virtual reach to serve clients throughout California. We offer free in-person, telephone, and virtual consultations to offer straightforward legal advice for your unique needs.
Contact us at 805-214-8888 today to learn more about your legal rights and options to pursue the Subsequent Injuries Benefits Trust Fund you qualify for so you can continue to live a full life without financial worry.