Workers Compensation Lawyer Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act allows Pennsylvania employees whose work caused an injury, illness or disease, to receive compensation for medical expenses and, in the event the injured person is unable to work, wage-loss compensation benefits until the employee is able to return to work. Additionally, death benefits for work-related deaths are available to dependent survivors.

Almost all Pennsylvania employees are covered by the Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act. Employers must provide workers' compensation (WC) coverage for all of their employees, including seasonal and part-time workers. Workers' compensation is available to those working in nonprofit corporations, unincorporated businesses and even companies with only one employee.

Federal civilian employees, railroad workers, longshoremen, shipyard and harbor workers are entitled to receive other compensation coverage. Volunteer workers, agricultural laborers, casual employees, domestic and some religious employees may be exempted from workers' compensation. Some executive officers of corporations may elect exemption from the Act. If you have been injured while in the workplace and have doubt as to coverage, you should seek legal advice. The Lassen Law Firm, Pennsylvania workers' compensation lawyers, will help you receive workers' compensation available under the law.

Benefits Under Workers' Compensation

The main types of benefits are:

1. Medical benefits: All medical bills are covered.

2. Wage loss benefits: Wage-loss benefits are available if it is determined that a worker is totally disabled and unable to work or partially disabled and receiving wages less than the pre-injury earnings. The injured worker is paid weekly, and the compensation is equal to approximately 65 percent of the employee's average weekly wage. WC wage-loss benefits can be offset for 50 percent of Social Security benefits, the employer-paid portion of a retirement pension, severance pay, unemployment compensation or other earnings the employee receives.

3. Specific loss benefits: A specific loss award is available to those who lost part of the body: thumb, finger, hand, arm, leg, foot, toe, or sustained disfigurement of the head, face or neck, loss of vision, loss of hearing or paralysis.

4. Death benefits: If the work-related injury results in death, surviving dependents may be entitled to benefits.

Occupational Disease/Illness

Occupational diseases and illnesses under the Workers' Compensation Act are covered if caused by or aggravated by employment. To qualify for Workers' Compensation benefits as a result of occupational disease, the employee's disability must occur within 300 weeks of his or her last employment in an occupation exposing the person to the hazard. Certain lung diseases qualify if an employee has worked with a silica, coal or asbestos hazard for at least two years in Pennsylvania during the 10 years prior to the disability.

Applying for Workers' Compensation Benefits

You must give notice within 21 days from the date of the injury or when you learned about your injury. Notice not given within that time period will result in loss of benefits up to the notice date. If notice is not given within 120 days that the claimant knew or should have known that they were injured, the claim is barred. If your employer or its insurance carrier denies your request for WC benefits, you may file a claim petition within three years from the date of injury. The Lassen Law Firm has been instrumental in helping clients deal with notice problems, denials and appeal petitions.

The Lassen Law Firm knows Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation laws. We know when it applies and when it doesn't. More money can be recovered for injuries if we can sue the employer directly or sue a third party. The Lassen Law Firm, Pennsylvania workers' compensation lawyers, serving all of Pennsylvania, is known for finding third parties to sue, so that the victim of a work accident can receive the largest amount of money possible. The Lassen Law Firm, Pennsylvania personal injury attorneys, will get you the maximum amount of compensation possible.

How an Attorney May Help

Representing yourself in WC proceedings is not a good idea. WC litigation is complex, and both the employer and the insurance carrier will be represented by experienced and aggressive attorneys. The stakes are too high for you to risk losing workers' compensation benefits due to unequal negotiating powers of an unrepresented injured individual and insurance companies' lawyers.

In addition, if you sustained a very serious injury and unable to work for a year or more, you may be eligible for additional disability benefits from Social Security. The Lassen Law Firm, Pennsylvania workers' compensation lawyers, will provide you with legal advice that may help you get benefits you deserve. At the Lassen Law Firm, we handle all cases on a contingency basis. We get paid only if you receive compensation in your case or if we prevent the insurance company from stopping or altering your benefits.

Worker Compensation Lawyer Pennsylvania

When people have been seriously injured on the job, they may feel helpless. It is hard enough for people to deal with their physical symptoms and recovery, let alone the financial difficulties that are often associated with a Pennsylvania work injury. The problem may worsen if the injured employee is refused workers' compensation benefits.

If you think you haven't received benefits due to you, please contact the Lassen Law Firm, Pennsylvania workers' compensation lawyers, as soon as possible. Our attorneys have experience dealing with employers' insurance companies responsible for payouts. The insurance carrier is allowed 21 days from your notice to the employer of your disability to decide to accept or deny your claim or to make payments of temporary compensation for up to 90 days. It is best that an experienced and aggressive workers' compensation attorney defend your right to fair compensation.

We are skilled Philadelphia personal injury attorneys who will aggressively fight for maximum recovery of damages for our clients' work injuries. The Lassen Law Firm is comprised of leading Philadelphia personal injury lawyers who have extensive legal training and experience in personal injury law. The Lassen Law firm serves all of Pennsylvania. If you have questions about a work accident in Philadelphia or anywhere in Pennsylvania, call The Lassen Law Firm today for your free consultation.

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Authored by: Christian Lassen