WORKER'S COMPENSATION BENEFITS IN PA
The Pennsylvania Department of Labor estimates that 85,000
people are injured annually on the job in our state. In PA, you
are covered by worker's compensation from the first day of work
and through the duration of your employment. This entitles you
to receive compensation for medical expenses and lost wages when
you suffer a work-related injury or contract a disease which is
caused or aggravated by the work you perform. Survivors of
someone who has died in a work-related accident may also be
entitled to benefits.
Please contact the Scranton worker's compensation lawyers of Munley, Munley & Cartwright with your claim questions. We have
served the people of Scranton and Pennsylvania for more than 40
years and we understand the intricate state laws surrounding
worker's compensation. We can use our vast experience and
resources to help you.
Workers injured while on the job in Pennsylvania are entitled
to certain rights under the law. Generally this includes medical
care and benefits which serve as compensation for lost income
from permanent or temporary disabilities.
To receive worker's compensation benefits, you must inform
your employer that you were injured while working. You must also
inform your employer of the exact date and location of the
injury.
When dealing with any aspect of worker's compensation, acting
in a timely manner is one of the most important steps you can
take. You have only 120 days to inform your employer of any
injury / illness that took place. If your case involves an
occupational disease, the disability must occur within 300 weeks
from the date of the last employment in an occupation where you
had exposure. If your claim is denied by either your employer or
the insurer, then you have three years from the date of injury
to file a Claim Petition for a hearing by a worker's
compensation judge. Based on the information presented at the
hearing, the judge will make a determination regarding your
eligibility to receive worker's compensation benefits. If your
benefits were terminated, you may file a Petition to reinstate
your benefits within three years after the date of your most
recent worker's compensation check. If your benefits were
suspended, you may file a Petition to have them resumed within
500 weeks from the date of suspension. Be aware that payment of
medical benefits does not mean that your claim has been accepted
or re-opened.
When seeking medical treatment for your work-related injury
or illness, you must find out if your employer maintains a list
of physicians or healthcare providers. If the employer has a
list of doctors, then you are required to visit one of them for
initial treatment. It is required by law that your continuing
treatment be from a doctor on the provided list for up to 90
days. If invasive surgery is prescribed, you have the right to a
second opinion to be paid for by your employer / insurer.
Treatment based on the second opinion must come from a list
provider for 90 days. After the 90-day period, and in cases
where your employer has no list of healthcare providers, you may
select a physician of your choice that is deemed reasonable. You
are required to notify your employer of the provider you have
selected. Your employer is not required to pay for any treatment
by the provider until they are notified.
If you are injured at work, immediately seek counsel from an
experienced Scranton worker's compensation attorney. We often
see people who are too trusting of representatives of business
or insurance companies. Worker's compensation can be expensive
and many times the representatives place too much emphasis on
cutting costs. When dealing with worker's compensation issues,
you need someone who has your best interests in mind. The PA
worker's compensation lawyers of Munley, Munley, & Cartwright
have served the workers of Pennsylvania for more than 40 years.
We would be happy to offer you a free consultation with
absolutely no obligation. Contact us by calling (800) 318-LAW1
or submit our online form.
For more information:
Worker's Compensation FAQs
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