Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

When you need a Philadelphia workers compensation lawyer who fights relentlessly for injured workers, turn to Munley Law. Our experienced attorneys understand how a workplace accident can devastate your life – leaving you with mounting medical bills while you’re unable to earn a paycheck. We’ve seen insurance companies deny valid claims and employers try to force injured workers back too soon.

Our board-certified workers’ comp attorney will ensure you receive your benefits while protecting your rights from the insurance company. Employers often don’t understand the law surrounding workers compensation and will try to force you back to work as soon as possible before the doctor clears you. We will make sure that doesn’t happen.

Don’t let them take advantage of you. Contact Munley Law now for a free consultation, and let us battle the insurance companies while you focus on recovery. We don’t get paid unless you win your case.

Why Hire a Philadelphia Workers’ Comp Lawyer at Munley Law

If you are among the millions of Americans who have suffered a job-related injury, you need to make sure you have a clear understanding of your legal rights. While employers tout their safety records and employee-first mentalities, when it comes to workers’ compensation claims, the reality is that many companies put their profits first. The same is true for workers’ compensation insurance companies.

Unfortunately, workers’ compensation claims are rarely as easy as they should be. Employers and insurance companies routinely deny claims, leaving injured workers without the money they need for their medical bills and monthly expenses.

Under Pennsylvania law, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits when a job-related injury keeps you out of work. But you may need help getting the full compensation you deserve. You need the Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorneys from Munley Law.

Our workers’ compensation lawyers have decades of experience representing employees in Philadelphia. We are familiar with all of the unique aspects of Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system, and we have a record of success in securing our clients’ benefits.

Our workers compensation attorneys have been recognized by several legal organizations and by our peers as one of the top workers comp firms in Philadelphia. Caroline Munley has received board certification as a workers compensation specialist from the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s section on Workers’ Compensation Law. Our attorneys have been named to the Best Lawyers in America list for our workers’ compensation work and are regularly named Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. We have to knowledge, the track record, and the accolades needed to help you with your workers’ compensation claim.

Whether you were recently injured on the job, are being told to return to work, or had your workers’ compensation claim denied, we can help. We will not stop fighting until you receive the benefits you deserve.

When You Need a Workers Comp Attorney in Philadelphia

In many cases, workers’ compensation benefits can be straightforward. These benefits will cover all your medical expenses and lost wages following an accident in the workplace. But there are times when complications do occur, and that’s when Philly workers will need the expertise of a workers’ comp lawyer to walk you through the process and fight on their behalf.

You want to hire an attorney for your workers’ comp claim if the following happens:

• Your claim has been delayed or denied – The insurance company may deny your claim on a technicality or because you have a preexisting condition. If your claim has been denied or you haven’t received benefits after your accident, speaking with an attorney may be in your best interest.
• Your employer refuses to file your claim – After a workplace accident, you must let your employer know about your injuries so they can start the workers’ compensation process. But sometimes, employers may try to persuade you not to file a claim or tell you you’re not eligible for benefits. If your employer refuses to file a claim, contact our office, and we can start the process on your behalf.
• Your employer retaliates against you for filing a claim – If your employer fires you, slashes your hours, or demotes you because you filed a workers’ comp claim, you may need the help of an employment attorney to protect your legal rights.
• You were injured because of a third party’s actions – If you are a delivery driver for Amazon and get into an accident because of a faulty braking system on the van, you may have a workers’ compensation claim and a third-party claim against the brake manufacturer.

What Are the Most Common Accidents in the Workplace in Philadelphia?

Regardless of where you work, the Pennsylvania attorneys at Munley Law are ready to provide counsel to injured workers in various fields. For decades, we’ve been helping those injured on the job in all types of industries — from warehouses to healthcare, construction to office workers, and more.

Here are a few common accidents that our work injury lawyers handle regularly:

Warehouse Accidents

Warehouse and industrial settings in Philly can be particularly dangerous. Heavy machinery and equipment can lead to an accident that could cause serious workplace injuries. It could be defective machinery or due to a lack of safety training. Workplace injuries from accidents involving dangerous machinery can include crushed limbs, hands or fingers, amputation, broken bones, lacerations, electrical burns, and wrongful death. This can lead to lost wages, total disability, and more.

Construction Accidents

The construction industry is one of the most dangerous occupations in the U.S., according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These four causes were responsible for 64.2% of construction worker fatalities: falls, struck by objects, electrocution, and getting caught in between objects. Construction injuries can include:

• Traumatic brain injury
• Concussions
• Head and neck injuries
• Burns and electrical injuries
• Hearing loss
• Vision loss
• Fractures
• Loss of limbs or amputation
• Knee, shoulder, and elbow injuries
• Wrongful death

Transportation Accidents

Life on the road can be dangerous for truck drivers. According to OSHA, there is a high rate of death related to work in the trucking and transportation industry. Whether you are involved in an accident or have been injured loading or unloading cargo, you have the right to file for workers’ compensation. Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys specializes in trucking litigation, and we represent long-haul truckers, delivery drivers, and other workers whose jobs require lots of travel.

Healthcare Accidents

Working as a nurse or at-home care provider (as well as other healthcare professions) can be strenuous. That means you may frequently suffer work-related injuries. OSHA calls hospitals “one of the most hazardous places to work.” OSHA details, “The rate of injury (in a hospital) is almost twice the rate for private industry as a whole.” Healthcare workers typically have very long shifts with physically demanding conditions: exposure to disease, hazardous materials, lifting patients, performing repetitive tasks, and putting patients’ needs ahead of their own.

Work-related Illnesses

These injuries can occur from events like exposure to hazardous chemicals or other dangerous materials while on the job. This exposure can lead to serious respiratory conditions, renal disease, chemical burns, and some forms of cancer, including mesothelioma. Sometimes even death.

What Benefits Are Available to an Injured Worker in Philadelphia?

If your workers’ compensation claim is approved, you may be eligible for the following benefits:

Medical Expenses

Your insurance company will pay for all reasonable and necessary medical expenses related to your work-related injury or illness. This includes the cost of doctor’s visits, hospital stays, surgery, and physical therapy.

Lost Wages

You may be eligible for lost wage benefits if you cannot work because of your work-related injury or illness. Lost wage benefits are typically equal to two-thirds of your average weekly wage.

Permanent Disability Benefits

If you suffer a permanent disability due to your work-related injury or illness, you may be eligible for permanent disability benefits. Permanent disability benefits are paid out over a period of time, and the amount of the benefits depends on the severity of your disability.

Specific Loss Benefits

If your injury at work resulted in permanent scarring/disfigurement,  the loss of a limb, or impaired use of a body part, you may be eligible for “specific loss” payments. When claiming a specific loss in your Philadelphia workers comp injury, there are guidelines for compensation in these cases. For example:

• Loss of a hand: 335 weeks of payments
• Loss of a thumb: 100 weeks
• Loss of an eye: 275 weeks
• Loss of a foot: 250 weeks
• Loss of a leg: 410 weeks
• Permanent loss of hearing in both ears: 260 weeks

Workers’ Compensation Death Benefits

Each year, thousands of Americans are killed while at work. In these cases, the family is entitled to receive death benefits. These death benefits may even apply if the worker passes away within 300 weeks of sustaining the workplace injury, especially in cases like toxic exposure.

Those eligible to receive workers comp death benefits include surviving family members who depended on the deceased person for financial support, such as a spouse, minor children, a dependent adult child, or a parent. Workers’ comp also includes reasonable funeral services and burial costs, up to $3,000 in that scenario.

The surviving family members must file for death benefits within three years of the worker’s death.

Top Reasons a Workers’ Comp Claim is Denied

If you get hurt while doing your job in Philly or anywhere else in Pennsylvania, you can file for workers’ compensation benefits to help with your medical bills and lost wages. However, your claim may get denied for different reasons, such as your employer or insurance company disputing that your injury was work-related or stopping your benefits before you can go back to work. If this happens, you should talk to a lawyer who can help you appeal the decision and protect your rights.

Big companies and insurance firms often have teams of lawyers who will try to pay you as little as possible or nothing at all, so it’s essential to have someone on your side.

Here are some of the most common reasons why workers’ compensation claims get denied:

• Employer contests the validity of the claim
• Employer contests the severity of the work-related injury
• Inaccurate information is present in the incident report
• The application is filed after the 120-day legal window
• The employer’s workers’ comp insurance coverage doesn’t cover the specific work-related injury
• Employer alleges you use illegal substances while at work

Frequently Asked Questions: Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Answer FAQs

My Employer’s Insurance Company Wants Me to Undergo an Independent Medical Examination. Should I Agree?

Not without first speaking to a workers’ compensation attorney. If you agree to undergo this medical examination, you will likely waive some necessary rights or workers’ compensation benefits. You also may be giving the insurance company access to your private medical information. Furthermore, since the insurance company has selected the doctor, their examination may not necessarily focus on ensuring you receive the best possible long-term care. This makes contacting a Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyer imperative to your claim.

Can I Go to My Doctor for Treatment of My Job-Related Injury or Illness?

While you do not have to submit to the insurance company’s medical examination, under Pennsylvania law, you are required to choose from a list of doctors approved by your employer for your first 90 days of medical treatment to receive your workers’ compensation benefits. Your employer must provide at least six options, and it cannot direct you to any healthcare provider. You can see your doctor if you are not provided with a list. Still, you want to be sure that this is okay since seeing your own doctor “inappropriately” could negatively impact your workers’ compensation claim. Make sure to contact a workers’ compensation lawyer beforehand.

How Long Does it Take to Receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Philadelphia, PA?

Assuming your employer and its insurance company handle your claim appropriately. In that case, you should begin receiving your workers’ compensation benefits in about three weeks. However, you could face months of delays and appeals if your claim gets denied.

What Do I Need to Do After an Accident at Work?

Do not delay reporting your workplace injury. Immediately report your accident to your supervisor and ask them to fill out an incident report. In Pennsylvania, you must notify your supervisor at your place of employment within 120 days from the date of injury. If you do not, it can result in denial of your claim. Even if your injury seems minor, there’s no harm in reporting it just in case you start to feel more pain as time goes on.

Insurance representatives may contact you after you report your injury, asking for details. It’s essential that you do not sign any insurance document or offer of settlement until a workers’ compensation lawyer has reviewed it first. If you have questions about how to apply for workers’ compensation or if your claim has been denied, call today for a free consultation with one of our Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys.

Can I Sue My Employer for My Work Injury?

Injured workers in Pennsylvania generally cannot sue their employer for an on-the-job injury because workers’ compensation insurance is there to help in that situation. You don’t have to go to court to get this help – it’s designed to be fast and easy. You also don’t have to prove that your boss did something wrong like you would in a personal injury lawsuit. All you need to show is that you were hurt while doing your job. If you get workers’ compensation, you won’t be able to sue your employer for your injury.

How Do I Know If Am I Covered Under Workers’ Compensation?

Almost every employee in Pennsylvania is covered under the Workers’ Compensation Act, including full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees. Businesses, no matter how big or small, are required to have workers’ comp insurance. If you work in specific industries, you may be covered under different compensation laws specific to that particular industry, like railroad or shipyard workers. Volunteers and independent contractors may not be considered employees, so they may not be covered. But that doesn’t mean you have no options to get compensation for your injuries. Contact a work injury lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys to learn more about your legal rights as an employee.

What Should I Do if My Workers’ Compensation Claim is Denied?

It’s common for workers’ comp claims to be denied. In these cases, it’s best to hire an experienced lawyer familiar with the entire worker’s comp claims process and who knows the intricacies of employment laws.

They can explain your options for the next steps. Once you have a good understanding and have chosen a path forward, they can guide you through those next steps.

How Can a Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Attorney Help?

An experienced and winning workers comp lawyer can guide you through the complicated and nuanced claims process, including fighting a denial should you receive one. But most importantly, they can also help injured workers receive additional compensation beyond what’s on paper. Many workers’ comp benefits do not cover pain and suffering and other non-economic losses associated with severe injuries, and they only pay a portion of lost wages. A lawyer will fight to ensure you get everything you deserve.

Specific ways a lawyer can help after a Philadelphia, PA workplace injury include:

• Helping after an insurance company denies a workers’ comp claim.
• Identifying potential third parties who might hold financial responsibility for injuries.
• Helping injured workers take action when an employer retaliates or threatens to retaliate after filing a workers’ compensation claim.

How Much Do Work Injury Lawyers Cost?

Many workers’ compensation attorneys, like those at Munley Law, don’t require upfront payments from clients. Instead, they work on a contingency fee basis, so they only get paid if they successfully recover compensation on your behalf. You don’t have to pay anything if they don’t win your case or reach a settlement.

Choosing a law firm that works on contingency is a good option for those who can’t afford to pay attorney fees upfront. Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorneys can also help you get the benefits and compensation you deserve after a workplace injury or illness. They know how to navigate the legal system and fight for your rights so that you can concentrate on your recovery and return to work.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

If you have been injured at work, you may be entitled to compensation for various expenses related to the injury. These expenses could include medical bills, lost wages, and benefits for permanent disability or specific losses. However, the process of getting compensation can be complicated, and it is essential to have a lawyer who can help you understand the process and protect your rights. By working with a Philadelphia worker’s compensation lawyer, you can make sure that you receive the full compensation you are entitled to for your workplace injury.

At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, our Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyers can help you understand your rights, and we will fight to make sure you receive the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve as soon as possible. To get started with a free and confidential consultation, please call or request an appointment online today.

Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys

1617 John F Kennedy Blvd
Suite 1690,
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 515-7747