What Are the Most Important Steps You Can Take If You Have Been Injured On the Job?

Nobody starts their day anticipating that they are going to get injured on the job, and the truth is that when an accident, illness, or injury does occur, few people know exactly what they are supposed to do. Though the most obvious answer is that you should seek medical attention as quickly as possible – especially in an emergency – when it comes to doing things the right way in order to maximize your chances of receiving the workers’ compensation benefits that you deserve, there’s a lot that you need to know. At Vanasse Law, we are experienced workers’ compensation attorneys who help injured employees through the complex process of applying for and securing their workers’ compensation benefits. Few people know what the most important steps are that need to be followed, but we can help. Call us today if you have been injured on the job.

Though workers’ compensation is a benefit that is provided to most workers in the state of Pennsylvania, not all who are injured on the job end up receiving the compensation that they deserve. In order to give yourself the best chance of success in your pursuit of workers’ compensation benefits, here are the most important steps that you need to follow:

• Begin by reporting your accident, injury, or illness. The state of Pennsylvania allows up to 120 days to tell your boss about what happened or your diagnosis, but it is always better to let them know sooner rather than later. If you have only just learned about your illness, you have 120 days from the date of diagnosis. Failure to meet the 120-day requirement can result in your employer denying your claim.
• After you have reported your injury, check to see whether your employer has posted a list of approved physicians. If so, then you are required to see one of those physicians for the first 90 days after your injury. Failure to do so can mean that your employer doesn’t have to pay your first 90 days’ worth of bills. If no doctor is named, then you can see your own.
• Your employer is required to file a report to their insurance company and file it with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. Then their insurer has 21 days to approve or deny your claim and decide whether to pay for your treatment and any wages that you’ve lost.
• If your employer agrees that your injury is work-related then you’ll get a notice that you’re going to be paid. This may be a notification of temporary payment. Your employer may also deny your claim, in which case you need to file a claim petition. The deadline to do this is three years after the date of the injury.

Having an experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorney walk you through these steps as well as the claims process is the first step to making sure that you have the best possible chance of having your claim approved. Call Vanasse Law today to learn more about the many ways that we can help.

Learn more about Job Injuries HERE.