Being injured at work can turn your whole life upside down. Not only are you injured, but you might be unable to continue working, and a Workers’ Compensation claim might be the only way to make ends meet.
How fast you get paid for a Workers’ Compensation claim often depends on how quickly you submit your claim after being injured. It is recommended that injured workers report their injuries to employers immediately so that notice of your injuries can be filed right away. Once filed, there is usually a waiting period before payments can begin. Payments might be delayed if there is a problem with your claim. The insurance company might deny your claim if it is not filed correctly or lacks enough evidence of your injuries. If you filed a Workers’ Compensation claim in Philadelphia and are still waiting to hear back, contact an attorney for help right away.
Many injured workers rely on their Workers’ Compensation payments to survive while recovering from their injuries. Our Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation lawyers can help you file your claim so you get payments as soon as possible. For a free case evaluation, call Lerner, Steinberg & Associates at (215) 355-6400.
When You Can Begin Collecting Workers’ Compensation in Philadelphia
The sooner you report your injuries to your employer and file a claim, the sooner you can start collecting Workers’ Compensation payments. While it is best to report injuries and accidents as soon as they occur, the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry recommends that injured workers submit their claims within 21 days of their accident. If you wait longer than 120 days, you might be denied compensation altogether.
Once your claim is submitted, there is a waiting period to get through while the insurance company reviews your claim and decides whether to approve or deny it. Notice of approval or denial must be made no later than 21 days after the claim is submitted. Essentially, if you file your claim immediately and it is approved, you might receive payments in a little under a month, give or take.
The exact date you begin receiving payments depends on your unique situation. If you waited a few days to file your claims, you might wait a bit longer. Alternatively, you might have reported your injuries to your employer immediately, but your employer waited a few days or weeks to notify the insurance company. Not only that, but mistakes in your application, a lack of evidence, or other hiccups in the claims process might delay payments for a while. If you are still waiting for payments, contact our Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation lawyers about how to move your case forward.
When to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Philadelphia
You should file a Workers’ Compensation claim as quickly as possible. Many injured workers do not realize that their employer does not actually submit their claim to the insurance company for them. Instead, employers are responsible for submitting a first report of the injury to the insurance company. This essentially puts the insurance company on notice of your injuries and preserves your right to get compensation. Our Bucks County Workers’ Compensation lawyers can help you work on your case to avoid having payments revoked.
In reality, it takes time to submit a Workers’ Compensation claim. Many people begin collecting payments relatively quickly, often within a month if all goes well. However, this does not mean your claim was approved, and your payments might cease if further investigation leads the insurance company to deny your claim.
An insurance company might have up to 90 days to investigate your case after initially accepting the claim. As such, it is important to get the details of your claim straight as soon as possible. Any gaps in your claim, missing details, or mistakes might lead to the insurance company revoking payment. If your temporary compensation is not revoked within 90 days, your claim is considered automatically approved.
What if the Insurance Company Denies My Claim for Workers’ Compensation?
Suppose the insurance company denies your claim. In that case, our Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation attorneys can help you appeal your case so you can hopefully start receiving payments as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the appeals process might take some time to complete, and you might not be able to receive payments as soon as you would want.
After the insurance company initially denies your claim, you can escalate the situation to a judge. A Workers’ Compensation judge may hear your case and decide whether your claim was wrongfully denied. Our Boothwyn, PA Workers’ Compensation attorneys can help you through this hearing and hopefully get your case approved.
If the judge does not find in your favor, an appeal can be filed electronically or by mail and must be filed no later than 20 calendar days after a Workers’ Compensation judge denies you. This adds more and more time to your case, and it might be months before you can receive payments. It is helpful to speak to an attorney right after you are injured. That way, all subsequent filings regarding your claim are compiled and submitted by you and your attorney, and hopefully, a denial is avoided.
What if My Workers’ Compensation Claim is Taking Too Long in Philadelphia?
If your claim takes a long time, you should speak to our Chester County, PA Workers’ Compensation attorneys about your situation. There may have been an error or oversight that can be quickly corrected. It might also be possible that further litigation is needed before you can get any payments.
The time it takes injured workers to receive payments for their claims can be quick, as claims must be temporarily approved or denied within 21 days of filing. However, litigation might be needed to get your payments back if the temporary payments are revoked after further investigation.
As mentioned above, an appeal process is available to people whose payments were denied or revoked. However, this process can take a while to complete, depending on when you file your appeal and the court’s schedule. Having an attorney by your side can help speed up the process.
Call Our Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys for Help
If you were injured on the job, a Workers’ Compensation claim should be filed quickly so you can start receiving payments as soon as possible. If there is a problem with your claim, call our Montgomery County Workers’ Compensation lawyers for a free case review. Call Lerner, Steinberg & Associates at (215) 355-6400.