After workplace accidents in York, injured employees are typically eligible to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits for lost wages and medical expenses.
To get Workers’ Compensation benefits in York, injured employees need to get their injuries diagnosed, preferably by a medical professional that is approved by their employer and their employer’s carrier. Incomplete medical records could negatively impact your claim. Workers’ Compensation provides benefits for lost wages, which add up to a percentage of an employee’s income. Workers’ Compensation also covers medical expenses and pays death benefits to survivors in the event of a worker’s death. If you have filed a Workers’ Compensation claim and received benefits, but a third party also shares fault for your injuries, you might be able to file a lawsuit to recover damages for pain and suffering as well.
Call Lerner, Steinberg & Associates now at (215) 355-6400 to set up a free analysis of your case with our York, PA Workers’ Compensation lawyers.
Getting Your Injuries Diagnosed for Workers’ Compensation in York, PA
Filing successful Workers’ Compensation claims requires proof of injuries or illnesses, which is accomplished largely through an employee’s medical records. That said, employees in York cannot get their injuries diagnosed by any medical professional and recover benefits.
Workers’ Compensation carriers approve certain doctors and will only accept claims for benefits if injured employees see those specific medical professionals. Furthermore, injured workers must be treated by an approved doctor for at least the first 90 days after an accident. If you do not do this, your claim for benefits could be denied in York.
Your employer should provide you with a list of approved doctors and specialists. If they do not, inform our Workers’ Compensation lawyers right away. This could be considered unnecessary interference with your claim.
Do your best to visit an approved doctor as soon as possible after sustaining an injury. If you have to go to the emergency room following an accident, do so. Then, get your diagnosis confirmed by a doctor approved by your employer’s insurance carrier. Continue to see that doctor for at least 90 days.
If you need to see additional specialists because of your injuries, check to see that they are also on your employer’s approved list of physicians. Keep all appointments or reschedule those you cannot go to. Dedication to your recovery is important for the success of your Workers’ Compensation claim in York.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits You Are Entitled to in York, PA
Employees injured on the job should understand the benefits they are entitled to under Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation system. Depending on the case, any less than the maximum benefit is likely unacceptable. Benefits provided by Workers’ Compensation in York include lost-wage benefits, medical benefits, and death benefits.
Lost-Wage Benefits
Workers’ Compensation covers lost wages up to a degree in York. Essentially, about two-thirds of an injured worker’s average weekly wages are provided via Workers’ Compensation for each week that the worker remains eligible for benefits. In Pennsylvania, Workers’ Compensation lost-wage benefits can last for the entire time a worker remains disabled or cannot return to work. Employers might periodically request that an employee receiving Workers’ Compensation provide updated medical records to confirm that they are still eligible to receive benefits. Injured employees can only receive wage-loss benefits if they cannot return to work for more than seven days because of their injuries. While employers might offer transitional jobs following work-related accidents, workers should speak to our attorneys before accepting a position. Transitional jobs can impact the lost-wage benefits injured employees can receive from Workers’ Compensation in York.
Medical Benefits
In addition to covering part of a worker’s lost wages, Workers’ Compensation also covers an injured employee’s medical expenses. This includes all reasonable medical needs, like surgeries, services, supplies, and prescription medications, among other expenses. Similar to lost-wage benefits, medical benefits are provided by Workers’ Compensation for as long as they are necessary in York. For Workers’ Compensation to cover your medical expenses, follow your employer’s initial requirements for seeking medical attention for a workplace injury in York. Keep records of your medical expenses as well, in case your employer attempts to contest your benefits.
Death Benefits
Workers’ Compensation also covers death benefits in the event that an employee dies because of a work-related illness or injury in York. The sum of Workers’ Compensation death benefits varies, depending on how many survivors there are and how those survivors are related to the decedent. Recipients of death benefits typically include an employee’s spouse and children.
Workers’ Compensation and Third-Party Claims in York, PA
In most situations, employees can only file Workers’ Compensation claims to recover damages following a workplace accident, as employers are typically protected from litigation. However, victims can sometimes sue third parties responsible for causing their injuries while also receiving Workers’ Compensation benefits.
If your employer has Workers’ Compensation, you can likely get benefits to supplement your income and cover your medical expenses. However, Workers’ Compensation does not provide damages for pain and suffering to injured workers in York. To recover compensation for non-economic damages, victims must file lawsuits.
While you may not be able to sue your employer and also get Workers’ Compensation in York, you can file a claim against a negligent third party, provided they caused your injuries. In this type of lawsuit, you may be able to recover additional compensation without making you ineligible for Workers’ Compensation benefits. Generally, third-party workplace accident lawsuits involve negligent manufacturers, making victims possibly eligible to recover punitive damages as well.
If your employer does not have Workers’ Compensation and you are hurt at work, you may be able to file a claim against them for compensatory damages in York.
Call Our York, PA Lawyers About Your Workplace Injury
For help with your case from our Workers’ Compensation lawyers, call Lerner, Steinberg & Associates at (215) 355-6400.
