Workers Compass

Why this book exists

Most injured workers never see the tactics coming.

“Every year, thousands of injured workers walk into the workers’ comp system believing it’s there to help them — and walk out confused, denied, or defeated.”

The critical first 72 hours

What to document, report, and preserve before evidence disappears — and before the clock works against you.

How claims get minimized

The tactics insurance companies and adjusters use to delay, dispute, or deny a claim — recognized from the inside.

Settlement vs. ongoing benefits

What your rights are if your employer retaliates, and how to weigh a lump-sum settlement against continued benefits.

The Guide, Point by Point

Eight points on the compass. One path through the system.

The same eight stations that run through every book in the series — from the moment of injury to a resolved claim.

N · File a Claim

Getting the record started right

What to report, to whom, and in what window — the paperwork that protects you later.

NE · Your Rights

What retaliation actually looks like

What your employer can and cannot do once you've reported an injury.

E · Medical Care

Treatment, MPNs & exams

Understanding authorized treatment networks and independent medical exams.

SE · Return to Work

Light duty & restrictions

Navigating modified duty and the interactive process when you're cleared to return.

S · Benefits

How compensation is calculated

Temporary and permanent disability, and how a settlement value actually gets built.

SW · Disputes

When a claim is denied

What happens next, and how the appeals process works in practice.

W · Resources

Verifying your own state's rules

Workers’ comp law is state-specific — where to confirm the rules that actually govern your claim.

NW · A Brighter Tomorrow

Life after the claim closes

Rebuilding income, career, and stability once a case resolves.

The Worker's Compass Series

Three formats. One roadmap.

The full guide, a pocket companion for quick reference, and a workbook for keeping your own case organized.

The Core Guide

The Injured Worker’s Compass

A Guide to Navigating the U.S. Workers’ Compensation System and Protecting Your Rights

Paperback$24.95

Hardcover$39.95

Ebook$12.99

ISBN 979-8-9977345-0-3 (pbk) · -2-7 (hc) · -3-4 (ebook)

● Available now in paperback, hardcover & ebook

Buy the Paperback on Amazon Buy the Hardcover on Amazon Buy the Ebook on Kindle

Quick Reference

The Injured Worker’s Pocket Guide

Know the Process. Protect Your Rights. Find Your Way.

Paperback$14.95

ISBN 979-8-9977345-1-0

● Available now on Amazon

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Companion Tool

Claim Organizer Workbook

A step-by-step tool for organizing your claim, documenting evidence, and staying ready.

Free with any purchase of The Injured Worker’s Compass through December 31, 2026.

Claim Your Free Workbook

Who Wrote This

Two decades. Every seat at the table.

M.D. Hamilton

Former Chapter Union President · Health & Safety Manager · HR Manager

M.D. Hamilton has spent nearly three decades inside the workers’ compensation system, seeing it from every angle: as a Chapter Union President fighting for injured officers, as a Health & Safety Manager representing the State at appeal hearings, and as an HR Manager managing claims from the employer’s side.

That firsthand experience on both sides of the table — not theory — is what shaped The Injured Worker’s Compass series. It was written because no injured worker should have to navigate this system alone.

B.A. Business Administration — California Baptist University 2015 IIPP Award — CA Dept. of State Hospitals EEO Counselor Training — Office of Civil Rights, CDCR

Get the free 72-Hour Checklist.

The exact action checklist from Chapter 3 — what to document, report, and preserve in the first 72 hours after a workplace injury. We’ll also let you know when new guides and resources are released.

No spam. Just the checklist, and one note when the book launches.

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