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    Archive for December, 2015

    Types of Workplace Accidents – How A Lancaster Workers’ Comp Attorney Can Help If You Have Been Hurt

    When people plan their careers, they focus on the job that they will be doing, what they will accomplish, and how much money they will make. Few outside of the most dangerous professions gives thought to the possibility of whether they will be injured on the job. Yet workplace accidents happen every day, and the injuries sustained in these incidents can range from minor bumps and bruises to traumatic injuries, and even death. If you have been injured in a workplace accident, then you have certain rights, including may include compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, or long term disability. Contact Vanasse Law and let our Lancaster Workers’ Comp Attorney explain how we can help.

    There are many different types of workplace accidents. These are the most common:

    • Slip and Fall Accidents: These can be a result of anything from a dangerously slippery surface to debris that is carelessly left in a workers’ path.
    • Falls: Falls from ladders, scaffolding, platforms, and stairwells are extremely common, and can result in serious injury.
    • Burns: Burns can result from working with dangerous chemicals, high-temperature equipment, welding torches, and kitchen areas, among others.
    • Back and Neck Strains: These are often a result of jobs that involve heavy lifting.
    • Repetitive Stress Injuries: Any repetitive motion or ergonomically incorrect position held for an extended period of time can result in a wearing down and inflammation of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons.
    • Cuts and Lacerations: These can be a result of many different types of incidents, including working with sharp equipment, falls, broken glass, and more.
    • Hearing Loss: Hearing is one of our most vital senses, and is unfortunately vulnerable to settings where loud noise is a constant. Hearing loss can be gradual or sudden.
    • Crash/Impact Injuries: Many jobs require driving or riding in vehicles such as cars or trucks. Whether a delivery truck, a tractor, a crane, or any other form of transportation, the impact of being in an accident can be deadly.
    • Falling Objects: Many work environments leave workers vulnerable to items falling from high. Whether objects fall from a scaffolding or platform at a construction site or from a shelf in a retail environment, being struck in the head by a falling object leaves employees at risk for traumatic brain injury, concussion, and other injuries.
    • Toxic Exposure: Many workplace environments expose employees to fumes and reactions from toxic chemicals. These can affect the lungs, the eyes, the skin, and other internal organs.

    In all of these examples and many more, the employer has a duty of care to their employee, either to provide them with appropriate training or protective gear. The Lancaster workers’ compensation attorneys at Vanasse Law can help you file a workers’ compensation claim to get the benefits that you need, as well as review the circumstances of your workplace accident to determine whether others may be held responsible for your injuries. Call us today to set up a convenient appointment.

    Learn more about the Types of Workplace Accidents that you may encounter HERE.

    Lancaster Industrial Worker Accidents – How an Attorney Can Help You If You Have Been Hurt On the Job

    There are many reasons why Lancaster industrial worker accidents happen. Those who work in industrial settings, whether a factory, a refinery, a warehouse or any other, head off to the job every day with the knowledge that they are at risk for accidents and injury, and these employees rely on their employers and coworkers to do whatever they can to ensure their safety. When the worst happens and a worker is hurt on the job, they have certain rights. The Lancaster industrial worker accidents attorneys at Vanasse Law are here to help. We are skilled and experienced attorneys with a record of successfully getting injured workers the compensation that they deserve. Call us today to see how we can help you.

    It has been estimated that approximately 1,000 industrial workers are killed in accidents on the job each and every year, and many more sustain serious injuries. If you have been injured in a Lancaster industrial site accident, workers’ compensation is an insurance policy that is supposed to provide for many of your medical expenses and lost wages. Unfortunately, many employers are reluctant to pay for injuries and will reject workers’ compensation claims. Additionally, in some instances an industrial worker accident may have been caused by negligence on the part of people or companies other than your employer. If this happened to you then you may be entitled to file a personal injury lawsuit against these other parties. The attorneys at Vanasse Law can review your case to see whether you are eligible to file one of these lawsuits, and will provide you with compassionate, aggressive representation to ensure that you get the compensation that you deserve.

    At Vanasse Law, we have extensive knowledge of the dangers inherent in industrial settings. Workers in these environments rely upon their employers to ensure that all appropriate safety precautions have been put into place, including proactively ensuring that their fellow workers are properly trained, that the equipment that they work with is maintained and in good working condition, that safety gear is provided and readily available, and that the materials that they are working with are safe. Though workers’ compensation rules preclude an injured worker from filing a personal injury lawsuit against their employer, there are many third parties that play a role in a work environment. If negligence on the part of these others played a role in your injury, then you may be entitled to pursue compensation for your damages from them.

    When you’ve been injured in an industrial worker accident, you need a strong and knowledgeable advocate working on your behalf and looking out for your interests. The Lancaster attorneys at Vanasse Law have the experience you need to ensure that you have the best possible outcome. Call us today for help.

    Learn more about Lancaster Industrial Worker Accidents HERE.

    Workers Compensation 101 from a Lancaster “Injured at Work” Lawyer

    Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that provides needed payments to an injured worker to cover hospitalization, medical expenses, rehabilitation, and other expenses needed to help them recover from their injury, regardless of who is at fault. Workers’ compensation is supposed to provide benefits to both employer and employees: The employees receive the compensation that they need and the employer does not have to defend themselves against claims of negligence. Unfortunately, though the system was intended to allow workers to easily file claims and receive the compensation and lost wages that they need, it does not always work that way. Employers and their insurance companies often make the process needlessly difficult, challenging workers’ compensation claims and delaying or rejecting payments. This leaves workers who are already suffering from their injury facing an uphill battle to get the compensation that they deserve. The Lancaster injured at work lawyers at Vanasse Law are here to help.

    In the state of Pennsylvania, the law states that those who are injured or become sick as a result of their job are entitled to workers’ compensation, but in order to get the benefits that they need, they have to follow a certain process.  This includes properly and promptly reporting your injury to your supervisor and to personnel. The state allows benefits after being out of work for seven days as long as you’ve reported the injury within 21 days from the time that the injury occurs. One way or another, you need to provide your employer with the date of the injury, where the accident occurred, and how you were affected within 120 days of the accident or you might lose your right to receive compensation.

    Once you’ve reported your injury appropriately, you are responsible for providing comprehensive documentation. You need to seek medical attention from an approved physician, keeping records of all medical bills and related expenses and following all treatment that is prescribed to you. At Vanasse Law, we have found it extremely helpful if injured workers maintain a diary or journal of all treatment you receive, as well as of the specific ways that the injury that you have sustained has impacted your daily life.

    The injured at work lawyers at Vanasse Law can provide you with legal representation that will help you with every step of the complex Pennsylvania workers compensation process. We will help you file your initial claim if you haven’t already done so, assisting you in collecting and preparing all of the essential documentation needed to prove your case. If you have already filed a claim and it has been rejected, we can assist you in filing an appeal and representing you during administrative hearings. We will also review your case to help determine whether you are eligible to file a personal injury claim against any third parties that may have contributed to your injury. At Vanasse Law, we are here to help. Call us today to set up an appointment to discuss your case.

    Learn more from our “Injured at Work” Lawyer HERE.

    Heart Attacks On The Job – Can I Get Workers Compensation for a Heart Attack?

    Workers’ compensation is designed to provide benefits for employees who are either injured on the job or who become sick on the job. There is no requirement that some kind of accident or catalyst precedes the injury, and there is no requirement to prove negligence. Though some claims, such as those caused by a repetitive physical motion, are considered to be fairly straightforward, other injuries – including heart attacks –  may be more difficult to prove. Though some states place a high burden of proof on heart attack workers’ compensation claims, the state of Pennsylvania has established straightforward criteria for whether an employee whose heart attack occurred on the job is eligible for workers’ compensation. The attorneys at Vanasse Law have extensive knowledge of Pennsylvania law and how best to prepare a workers’ compensation claim for a work-related heart attack. Contact us today to discuss your case.

    There are many circumstances that can lead to a heart attack on the job. Some work puts employees under great physical stress, while others cause mental and emotional stress. A worker can appear to be healthy and then suffer a heart attack after receiving news that they have been poorly reviewed or that they did not receive a promotion that they had worked towards and counted on. Though there was a time that workers were required to show that a work-related heart attack was the result of their job requiring a significant level of physical exertion, things have changed. The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court has indicated that when a purely physical injury occurs following a stressful situation or interaction at work, it can qualify as a work-related injury. What is required is that the worker provides proof that they suffered the injury, as well as that it occurred in relation to and during the course of their work. If, in submitting the claim, the employee provides a medical opinion that indicates that the heart attack is a result of work-related stress — whether physical, mental, or emotional — then that is proof enough to be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.

    When an employee suffers a heart attack on the job, they are faced with enormous medical bills and the loss of wages necessitated by their treatment and recovery. Under the best of circumstances, they will require rehabilitation, and under the worst their heart attack may result in death, leaving their family without their companionship and financial support. Though those who have been impacted by a workplace heart attack may be hesitant about filing a workers’ compensation claim indicating that the attack was work-related, the Lancaster workers’ compensation law firm of Vanasse Law has the experience and knowledge that you need to navigate the challenges ahead and to help you get the benefits that you need and deserve. Call us today to set up an appointment to discuss your case. We are here to help.

    Learn more about what you can do about Heart Attacks on the Job HERE.