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.