Suffering an injury at your workplace can cast a cloud of uncertainty over your immediate future. You will likely have to ponder difficult questions like how you will pay your medical expenses, how are you going to handle your monthly bills, and when or how will your injuries be healed. Fortunately, filing for Workers’ Compensation can alleviate some of these issues. If you or a family member was injured while working, you should speak with an experienced Workers’ Compensation lawyer in Boothwyn, Pennsylvania about getting benefits for your injuries.
The Boothwyn Workers’ Compensation lawyers at Lerner, Steinberg & Associates can help you file your claim for work injury benefits. Our lawyers are dedicated to representing injured workers in Boothwyn and across the region and would be honored to represent you. To schedule a free consultation with one of our diligent lawyers, call us at (215) 355-6400 or contact us online.
What is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ Compensation is a type of no-fault insurance that is financed by an employer. The purpose of Workers’ Compensation is to ensure that employees who are disabled by a work-related injury or disease are compensated for lost wages and given necessary medical treatment to aid them in returning to the workforce.
Retaining Workers’ Compensation insurance is generally mandatory for any employer who:
- Employs at least one employee that may be injured or may develop a work-related disease in Pennsylvania
- Has an employee that may be injured outside the state if the employment is principally localized in Pennsylvania
- Has an employee that may be injured outside of Pennsylvania, while under a contract of hire formed in Pennsylvania
- Offers employment that is not principally localized in any state
- Offers employment that is principally localized in a state where Workers’ Compensation laws do not apply
An employer can be excluded from needing to insure its workers only if all workers that are employed fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Federal workers/longshoreman/railroad workers
- Casual employees whose position is casual in character and are not within the regular course of the employer’s business
- Employees who operate out of their own homes (or another property that is not under the control or management of the employer) and work with articles or materials that are given to them
- Agricultural employees who earn under $1,200 per person per calendar year and no agricultural laborer works 30 days or more per calendar year and/or the laborer is provided by the employer’s spouse, or is a child under 18 who has not sought inclusion under Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation laws
- Certain types of domestic workers
- Sole proprietors or general partners
- Executive officers who have been excluded by the Department of Labor & Industry (DLI)
If an employer has at least one employee who does not meet any of the above criteria, the employer must carry Workers’ Compensation insurance. Even if an employee is working part-time hours or is the employer’s family member, such as a spouse or a child, the employer still must be insured.
Does My Injury Qualify for Workers’ Compensation?
To qualify for Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania, you must suffer a work injury. A workplace injury is any injury, medical condition, or disease that occurs during an employee’s occupation. Additionally, a work injury may include occupational diseases and pre-existing injuries that were aggravated by an employee’s job.
The Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act does not have a list of specific injuries that make employees eligible for Workers’ Compensation. These are some injuries that have secured Workers’ Compensation for other injured workers:
- Car Accident Injuries
- Broken Bones
- Foot Injuries
- Heat Stroke and Exhaustion
- Amputations
- Burns
- Psychological Stress
- Workplace Violence
- Scaffolding Accidents
- Toxic Chemical Injuries
- PTSD
If you have suffered one of these injuries or another injury while working, you should speak with a Workers’ Compensation attorney in Boothwyn as soon as possible.
When Do My Workers’ Compensation Benefits Begin?
It is important to notify your employer about your injuries as soon as possible. Under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, an employer has 21 days to either approve your Workers’ Compensation claim or deny the claim. While you may have up to 120 days to notify your employer of the injury, delays can cause complications for your claim – and will also postpone any benefits that you are entitled to receive.
Our Boothwyn, PA Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Can Help
If you or a family member was injured while working, you should speak with an experienced Boothwyn Workers’ Compensation attorney. The work injury attorneys at Lerner, Steinberg & Associates are available to discuss your case. We will work tirelessly to ensure that you receive the compensation that you deserve. To schedule a free consultation, call us at (215) 355-6400 today.
