If you’ve recently been injured on the job, you may require compensation. But how much can you recover by filing a Workers’ Compensation claim, and how is the value of your claim determined in Pennsylvania?
The value of your Workers’ Compensation claim can depend on multiple factors in Pennsylvania. Most likely, the injuries you sustained and their cost, as well as your average weekly wage and ability to return to work, will influence the value of your Workers’ Compensation claims. Evidence of an accident and a victim’s injuries are also necessary to recover the compensation they deserve. Our lawyers can help you navigate the claims process to ensure your Workers’ Compensation claim is successful in Pennsylvania.
Our attorneys are here to help injured workers throughout Pennsylvania recover the Workers’ Compensation benefits they need to heal after a workplace accident. For a free and confidential case evaluation with the Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation lawyers at Lerner, Steinberg & Associates, call today at (215) 355-6400.
What Determines the Value of Workers’ Comp Claims in Pennsylvania?
The value of your Workers’ Compensation claim in Pennsylvania, meaning the amount you can recover to compensate for your financial damages, will likely depend on several factors. For example, the type of injury you sustained and how you sustained it matters. As do your medical costs, average weekly wage, and work restrictions. Having ample evidence to support your claim and hiring our experienced attorneys can also help you recover greater compensation from a Workers’ Compensation claim in Pennsylvania.
Injury
When determining the value of your Workers’ Compensation claim in Pennsylvania, your injury matters. Did you sustain your injury at work? How did the accident occur? How severe is your injury? In Pennsylvania, only injuries that occur on the job are covered under Workers’ Compensation. The severity of an injury can also factor into the value of a Workers’ Compensation claim in Pennsylvania. In addition to injuries sustained in work-related accidents, illnesses and other medical and mental health conditions may be covered and result in a high-value Workers’ Compensation claim.
Medical Costs
A significant portion of damages recovered by a Workers’ Compensation claim will go to your medical costs. That means the medical expenses you incurred as a result of an injury matter when determining the value of your claim. Will you require surgery? What about physical therapy? Do you need expensive medications to treat your injuries? Our Bucks County Workers’ Compensation lawyers can gather all your medical expenses to help estimate the expected value of your claim.
Average Weekly Wage
When determining the value of Workers’ Compensation claims in Pennsylvania, an injured employee’s average weekly wage is considered. This amount is used to calculate your expected losses. A portion of those losses will likely be compensated for when our attorneys help you file a Workers’ Compensation claim in Pennsylvania. The amount of time you can expect to receive benefits will depend on your injury and how long you will be unable to return to work. Typically, injured employees with higher average weekly wages will get Workers’ Compensation benefits of a higher value in Pennsylvania.
Evidence
Workers’ Compensation insurance companies often want to pay out as few benefits as possible to injured employees in Pennsylvania. Because of this, it is important to compile ample evidence of an accident, how it occurred, and the injuries it caused you. Our Chester County Workers’ Compensation lawyers can help you gather evidence of a workplace accident such as security camera footage, eyewitness statements, and medical records. The more evidence you have of an accident and the damage it has caused you, the greater your Workers’ Compensation benefits may be in Pennsylvania.
Work Restrictions
Sometimes, injured employees can return to some form of work after an accident. If you are able to return to work with restrictions and earn an income, the value of your Workers’ Compensation claim may be affected. In that case, you may be able to offset some of your medical expenses with the income you receive doing lesser work for the time being. Our attorneys can explain how returning to work with restrictions might impact your Workers’ Compensation claim in Pennsylvania.
Our Attorneys
Injured employees should turn to our attorneys when filing a Workers’ Compensation claim. Our Delaware County Workers’ Compensation lawyers can help you understand the claims process and ensure you don’t accept a settlement that’s less than what you deserve. We can negotiate with your employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance carrier so that you can recover benefits that reflect your injuries and their cost.
What Damages Are Evaluated in Workers’ Comp Claims in Pennsylvania?
The all of the benefits recovered through a Workers’ Compensation claim in Pennsylvania will be economic damages. That means that if you experienced pain and suffering due to a work-related injury, you will only be able to recover compensation for those damages by filing a lawsuit.
Typically, filing a Workers’ Compensation claim is the sole recovery method for injured employees in Pennsylvania. Unfortunately, Workers’ Compensation does not compensate for non-economic damages, which may seem unfair to victims. That means your Workers’ Compensation claim will only cover damages for medical expenses and lost wages.
While you may be unable to sue your employer for negligence if you are covered under their Workers’ Compensation insurance policy, you may be able to file a lawsuit against other negligent parties. For example, if a manufacturer produced a defective product that caused your injuries, our attorneys can help you file a third-party lawsuit for compensation.
Although non-economic damages are not recoverable in Workers’ Compensation claims in Pennsylvania, injured workers may be able to recover them in other ways. Contact our attorneys to learn if you are eligible to recover non-economic in a third-party lawsuit.
Ask Our Pennsylvania Lawyers About the Value of Your Workers’ Comp Claim
If you require compensation after a workplace accident in Pennsylvania, our attorneys can help. For a free case evaluation with the Berks County Workers’ Compensation lawyers at Lerner, Steinberg & Associates, call today at (215) 355-6400.