After sustaining injuries on the job, workers in Drexel Hill can file a claim to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits. Benefits can help to supplement your income while you are unable to work and cover the cost of medical expenses.
In order to recover Workers’ Compensation in Drexel Hill, you must report your injuries to your employer immediately after an accident at work. You must then seek medical attention from a doctor that is approved by your employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance carrier. You might be eligible for different Workers’ Compensation benefits depending on the injuries you sustained. Injured workers can typically recover a portion of lost wages in addition to compensation for medical bills. There are also benefits for survivors of a worker who died in a workplace accident in Drexel Hill.
To make an appointment for a free and confidential case review with Lerner, Steinberg & Associates, call our Drexel Hill Workers’ Compensation lawyers today at (215) 355-6400.
Steps Required to Recover Workers’ Compensation in Drexel Hill
Before recovering Workers’ Compensation insurance benefits in Drexel Hill, you must take certain steps following a workplace accident. These steps include reporting injuries to your employer, getting medical attention, and pursuing a claim with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania.
Reporting Injuries
You will have three weeks from the date you sustained injuries at work to inform your employer of an accident if you want to get the most damages available to you in Drexel Hill. To recover benefits of any kind, workers must report their injuries to their employer within 120 days of sustaining them. If you report your injuries after three weeks, you may only be eligible to recover compensation for lost wages and medical bills from the time you informed your employer onward. Our Workers’ Compensation lawyers can help you follow your company’s reporting procedure to ensure there is proper documentation of your accident in Drexel Hill.
Going to the Hospital
There must be substantial medical proof of a worker’s injuries for them to receive benefits in Drexel Hill. After you report your injuries to your employer, you will be given a list of doctors approved by their Workers’ Compensation insurance carrier. It is important that you see one of these medical professionals to confirm your injuries. Otherwise, your Workers’ Compensation claim might be denied in Drexel Hill. Typically, injured workers must see a carrier-approved doctor for the first 90 days of their treatment following a workplace accident.
Filing a Claim
Employers are responsible for submitting a first report of injury to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to begin the claims process. It is important to confirm that your employer has informed the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation following an accident in Drexel Hill so that there are no unnecessary hindrances to your ability to recover damages quickly. Once your employer’s carrier is notified of your claim, it will have three weeks to review it and make a decision regarding your access to benefits. To improve your chances of claim approval, you should provide information regarding your medical records and any proof that you might have to show you sustained your injuries while working in Drexel Hill. If your claim is denied, you can appeal it.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits Available in Drexel Hill
There are several types of Workers’ Compensation insurance benefits injured employees or surviving family members might be eligible to receive in Drexel Hill. These include wage-loss benefits, death benefits, specific loss benefits, and medical benefits.
Wage-Loss Benefits
When workplace injuries prevent an employee from returning to their job or earning an income, they can recover benefits to partially supplement that lost income in Drexel Hill. Wage-loss benefits are available to workers whose injuries have left them totally disabled and to those with partial disabilities that have caused workers to be unable to return to their previous earning capacity. Wage-loss benefits do not replace income entirely and only equate to about two-thirds of a claimant’s lost wages for the time they are disabled in Drexel Hill.
Death Benefits
Death benefits are payable to surviving dependents and spouses of workers killed on the job in Drexel Hill. The calculation for death benefits is based on a deceased worker’s average weekly wage but cannot exceed $1,273 per week. The percentage of benefits received by dependents depends on the total number of dependents survived by the decedent and their relationship with the decedent. In addition, surviving family members will receive $3,000 to put toward a deceased worker’s funeral expenses in Drexel Hill.
Specific Loss Benefits
If a worker loses function of certain body parts or sustains injuries, they will be eligible for specific loss benefits in Drexel Hill. In these cases, a worker will only receive wage-loss benefits for a specific period of time. For example, for the loss of a hand, a worker will receive about 66% of their average weekly wage over 335 weeks. Similar benefits will be paid over the course of 375 weeks for the loss of a forearm. There are specific loss wage benefits for the loss of a foot, leg, or eye, and permanent loss of hearing as well.
Medical Benefits
In addition to providing compensation for a portion of an injured worker’s lost wages during recovery, Workers’ Compensation can also provide damages for medical expenses. Injured workers can recover benefits that pay for all necessary medical costs related to their workplace injuries, including those for surgeries, physical therapy, and medical prescriptions. In order to ensure you recover benefits for such expenses, keep records of all visits with medical professionals following a workplace accident in Drexel Hill, in addition to any medical bills or invoices you receive during the course of your treatment.
Ask Our Attorneys About Your Workers’ Compensation Claim Today
Call (215) 355-6400 for a free case evaluation from the Workers’ Compensation lawyers at Lerner, Steinberg & Associates.
