If you were injured at your workplace in Ridley Township, or if you suffered an injury while performing your job duties off-site from your work facility, you may be entitled to financial benefits under Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation laws. Workers’ Compensation, which is sometimes called “Workers’ Compensation” or simply “WC,” can help to pay for your medical treatment while replacing part of the wages you lost as a result of your workplace injury. Depending on the severity of your injury and the resulting disability, Workers’ Compensation may be available for a period of months or even years.
The Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation attorneys of Lerner, Steinberg & Associates have decades of experience representing injured employees and the surviving family members of employees who were killed in fatal workplace accidents. We have experience assisting injured workers and surviving family members at all stages of the claims process, from filing an initial claim, to appealing a denied Workers’ Compensation claim, to representing workers after their benefits are improperly suspended or terminated.
Our legal team represents injured workers throughout Ridley Township, including Crum Lynne, Folsom, Holmes, and Woodlyn. For a free legal consultation about how we can help you get the benefits you deserve, call our law offices at (215) 355-6400.
Which Employees Are Covered by Workers’ Compensation Laws in PA?
If you were injured on the job in Ridley Township, it is likely that you are covered by the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, which applies to almost all workers in Pennsylvania, including full-time, part-time, and even seasonal employees. Workers who are generally not covered by the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act include:
- Agricultural Workers
- Civilian Government Workers
- Domestic Workers
- Railroad Workers
- Volunteers
However, even if you are in one of these categories, you may be able to recover benefits under federal laws, or by filing a personal injury lawsuit.
If you are covered by Workers’ Compensation laws in Pennsylvania, you are responsible for promptly reporting the injury to your employer. The sooner you report the injury, the sooner you will be able to start receiving payments if you are eligible. If you wait for too long, it may cause problems with your claim, causing a delay in benefits or even the denial of your claim.
Once you have reported the injury to your employer, your employer assumes responsibility for notifying the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. A variety of workplace injuries, workplace accidents, and occupational illnesses and diseases are covered, including:
- Aggravation of Preexisting Injuries
- Auto Accidents
- Commercial Vehicle Accidents
- Construction Accidents
- Factory Accidents
- Hospital and Healthcare Accidents
- Manufacturing Accidents
- Occupational Diseases (Asthma, Cancer, Hepatitis, Infections, Poisoning)
- Transportation Accidents
- Workplace Amputation Injuries
- Workplace Back Injuries
- Workplace Bone Fractures
- Workplace Burn Injuries
- Workplace Chemical Exposure and Industrial Spills
- Workplace Ear Injuries and Hearing Loss
- Workplace Eye Injuries and Vision Loss
- Workplace Head and Brain Injuries
- Workplace Joint Injuries
While Workers’ Compensation is available for a wide range of accidents, injuries, and work-related medical conditions, benefits are not available for:
- Injuries that were deliberately self-inflicted.
- Injuries or accidents that occurred due to intoxication, whether by alcohol or controlled substances like marijuana.
What Benefits Can You Get for a Workplace Injury or Accident?
Several types of benefits may be available for:
- Injured employees who qualify for Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania.
- The surviving dependents of workers who were killed on the job in Pennsylvania.
Depending on the nature and severity of the work accident and resulting disability, types of Workers’ Compensation benefits that may be available for you, your spouse, your child, or your loved one include:
- Death Benefits – Death benefits are available for the dependents of workers who were killed while performing their job duties.
- Medical Benefits – Medical benefits help to pay for “reasonable surgical and medical services rendered by a physician or other healthcare provider.”
- Specific Loss Benefits – Specific loss benefits are available for workers who have:
- Permanently lost full or partial use of at least one toe, foot, leg, thumb, finger, hand, or arm.
- Sustained permanent hearing loss (deafness) or vision loss (blindness).
- Sustained permanent disfigurement of the neck, face, or head.
- Wage-Loss Benefits – As the term suggests, wage-loss benefits are meant to help compensate eligible workers for earnings lost due to work-related injuries. Depending on whether the worker is determined to be totally or partially disabled, wage-loss benefits may continue for up to 500 weeks (approximately nine and a half years) or potentially even longer.
Ridley Township Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Can Help with Your Claim
Whether your Workers’ Compensation claim has been denied, you have questions about the recent suspension or termination of your benefits, or you need assistance filing a claim for the very first time, turn to the experienced and compassionate Ridley Township Workers’ Compensation lawyers of Lerner, Steinberg & Associates for caring, trusted legal help you can count on.
You have worked hard to perform your job – now let us work hard to perform ours. We can protect your legal rights, assist you with your documentation, represent you at Workers’ Compensation hearings, and fight to maximize the benefits to which you are entitled. Call our law offices right away at (215) 355-6400 for a free legal consultation about how we can help you with your Workers’ Compensation claim in Ridley Township or the surrounding communities.