You deserve the ability to work and support your family without having to struggle with a crippling or even deadly injury. Every job—even those that do not involve manual labor—can expose a worker to danger every day. Thankfully, Pennsylvania law requires most employers to provide workers’ compensation benefits to their employees. Even in rare cases where state law does not provide protection, a federal program will usually cover a workplace injury.
Still, not every injury on the job will result in a worker automatically getting benefits. Your employer—or the insurance company that handles their workers’ compensation—may dispute the cause of your injury. They may claim that your losses are not as significant as you say they are. Also, a workers’ compensation claim may not give you all the benefits you need to make things right. A Reading work injury lawyer may be able to help you pursue all the benefits you deserve after a workplace injury. This includes appealing when your workers’ compensation claim is denied, as well as filing personal injury lawsuits against negligent third parties.
Our attorneys have more than a quarter-century of experience and have obtained tens of millions of dollars for clients injured in workplace accidents. We are prepared to bring our comprehensive knowledge to help you recover the compensation you deserve if you have been injured in a/an:
Commonwealth law requires almost every employer to maintain an insurance policy that protects their employees in the event of a workplace injury or illness. This covers full and part-time workers regardless of their seniority, job duties, or prior physical condition. When a person suffers an injury while performing their work duties, they can make a claim against these policies.
State law defines a workplace accident as when a worker gets hurt while performing their job duties. A workers’ compensation claim can follow a slip and fall, being crushed by falling materials, or even injuries that come from dealing with customers.
Workers’ compensation insurance companies often deny claims because they dispute the reason for an injury occurring. They may claim that an injury happened while a worker was off the clock, or that the injury was the result of a worker being drunk on the job. An attorney in Reading could show a work injury happened because they were doing their job. This includes pursuing full appeals with the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry.
Workers’ compensation insurance plans are always a good thing for employees. Even if an insurance company accepts a claim and pays out full benefits, though, there is a limit to how much a worker can get. By law, a workers’ compensation insurance claim can only pay out benefits for time missed on the job—in the form of medical care and partial wage reimbursement. A plan does not provide full wage payments and compensation for reductions in an injured worker’s quality of life.
To obtain this additional compensation, an injured worker must file a lawsuit to hold third parties responsible. These third parties may be anyone partially responsible for worker’s injuries, including the makers of defective equipment and negligent co-workers. A lawyer in Reading could determine if a work injury lawsuit may be appropriate following a workplace incident.
Workplace injuries are common events that affect people regardless of their chosen profession or work setting. Under Pennsylvania law, you always have the choice to file a workers’ compensation claim in order to get benefits like medical care and partial wage reimbursement. A Reading work injury lawyer could also help if an insurance company has denied your workers’ compensation claim.
We are also ready to explore other potential avenues for compensation. This may include filing a lawsuit against negligent co-workers or third parties. Call now to discuss your legal options.
