Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys discuss workplace injuries and fatalities and new OSHA regulation

4,383 workers were killed on the job in 2012, averaging more than 84 deaths a week or nearly 12 deaths every day, according to statistics from the US Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA).

OSHA also reported that out of 3,945 worker fatalities in private industry in 2012, nearly 20% were in construction. According to the US Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, fatal work injuries in the private construction sector increased 5% to 775 in 2012. The leading cause of construction site deaths was slip and falls, followed by struck by objects, electrocution, and caught-in/between. These “fatal four” as they are referred to by OSHA were responsible for 56% of construction worker deaths in 2012. Eliminating the “Fatal Four” could save 435 workers’ lives in America each year.

Fatal work injuries in the private mining sector rose, […]

Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer tells you the first thing you should do after a work accident

You have just been in an accident at work and now you have some questions for a Pennsylvania injury lawyer. Questions such as:

• What’s the very first thing you should do the moment after the accident happens?
• What can happen to you if you don’t tell your employer about the accident?
• What if you get a disease or illness from work?
• Can you get workers comp for that?
• Do you have to talk to any insurance adjuster?
• What does a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer advise?
• How long to you have to get a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer to file a workers comp case for you?

Here are some answers straight from a Pennsylvania Injury Lawyer:

Right after the accident, you need to immediately tell your boss or a supervisor and make sure a written record is made of the incident. […]

5 Things To Know About Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania

You may be entitled to workers’ compensation – read these 5 facts

The maximum weekly compensation rate for injured workers in Pennsylvania has risen to $917 for 2013.

That rate – which applies to workplace injuries occurring on and after January 1, 2013 – represents an increase of 3.3 percent from 2012.

Under the state’s Workers’ Compensation Act, workers who are hurt on the job are entitled to wage-loss benefits equal to two-thirds of their weekly pay. However, there are minimum and maximum limits. The exact amounts are based on the Department of Labor and Industry’s calculation of the statewide average weekly wage.

Following are 5 Things You Should Know About Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania:

1. What injuries are covered by the Workers’ Compensation Act? Generally speaking, if you suffer a work-related injury or illness, […]

PA Pledges $20 Million to Help Intellectual Disabilities

The Pennsylvania state budget for 2013-14 will include nearly $20 million to help approximately 1,200 adults with intellectual disabilities.

The goal is to shrink the waiting list for home- and community-based services that are needed by these individuals. Among the covered conditions: Down syndrome, autism, and learning disabilities.

In announcing the budget set-aside, Governor Tom Corbett said, “We need to do a better job of looking after these citizens, who, through no failing of their own, cannot look after themselves.”

People in Pennsylvania with disabilities might be eligible for state or federal financial assistance.

Social Security Disability benefits are available to individuals who have earned wages and paid into the Social Security system in at least 20 of the last 40 quarters. In order to qualify for Social Security Disability, a person must be totally disabled – meaning incapable of performing any job due to the disability. […]

Social Security Adds to List of Disability Conditions

The Social Security Administration has added 35 medical conditions – including adult non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and Dravet’s syndrome – to its list of conditions that qualify for expedited disability claims processing for Pennsylvania residents who suffer from them.

The new additions push the total number of so-called “Compassionate Allowances” to 200.

Compassionate Allowances are a way to quickly identify diseases and medical conditions that meet Social Security’s standards for disability benefits. The program fast-tracks cases to ensure that people with the most serious disabilities receive benefit decisions within days instead of months or years.

Among the current allowable conditions: certain cancers, adult brain disorders, and a number of rare child disorders.

If an injury or illness prevents you from returning to your job, you may qualify for monthly Social Security Disability payments. A qualified Pennsylvania Social Security Disability attorney can guide you through the process. […]