What Should I Do After Getting Injured While on the Job?

Pennsylvania Workplace Injury Lawyers

If you’ve been injured on the job, you’re likely wondering what to do next. If you are considering filing a workers’ compensation claim in Pennsylvania, call the workers’ compensation lawyers at Munley Law today to schedule a free consultation. Our experienced team of professionals can help guide you through the workers’ compensation process. With Munley Law, you can rest assured that your case is in good hands.

What Should I Do After Being Injured on the Job?

If you’ve been injured in the workplace and don’t know what to do next, you should take the following five steps in recovering from your injury, recovering compensation, and protecting your rights:

Step 1: Report Your Injury and Seek Medical Care

Reporting your injury to your employer is the first step in a successful workers’ compensation claim. You should always file a written report with your employer after the injury to put your employer on notice and make them aware of your injury or illness. Even if you believe your injury is trivial, you should file a report because it could become more serious in the future. Reporting your injury helps protect yourself and prevent further headaches in the future.

When a workplace accident is not reported, employers can deny employees medical care and benefits for working time missed. Without a documented report of the accident, your employer can easily claim the accident did not happen at the workplace or can deny that the accident happened at all.

Under Pennsylvania law, you must notify your supervisor at work within 120 days from the date of your injury. After you have reported your injury, workers’ compensation insurance representatives may contact you for additional information.

The next step to a successful workers’ compensation claim is seeking medical care as soon after the injury as possible. This is for your own health and well-being as much as it is for documenting your injury, its severity, your level of pain, and any side effects or complications. Having a record of your doctor’s visits will be a crucial component of your claim’s success.

Step 2: Compile Information and File a Workers’ Compensation Claim

The third step you should take after your workplace injury is gathering evidence of your claim. Some important information for you to compile is:

• A copy of your employer’s accident report.
• Your written account of what happened and what the circumstances of the injury were while the event is fresh in your memory. This includes the job role you were filling, exactly what you were doing, any equipment you were using and its condition, and the names of anyone who gave you instructions or was managing you at the time of the accident.
• A list of people who witnessed the account. Your coworkers can verify that the accident happened as you said it did.

Filing a workers’ compensation claim can help you recover your medical bills and any lost wages from when you were out of work due to the injury. To qualify for workers’ compensation coverage, you first have to make sure that you report your injury and file your workers’ compensation claim on time. The other requirements to qualify are:

• You must be classified as an employee,
• Your employer must carry workers’ compensation insurance, and
• Your injury must have been work-related.

If you were performing a task that benefited your employer and you were injured or became ill because of it, the injury would be considered work-related. This generally includes physical injuries from accidents at the workplace, diseases from exposure to hazardous chemicals or mold, and any mental health problems caused by a workplace event or trauma, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

In Pennsylvania, most employees, whether full-time, part-time, or seasonal, are covered under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. Independent contractors, however, are not covered as they are not considered “employees.” Most businesses in Pennsylvania are also required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. If you have questions about whether you are covered, you should contact a lawyer to discuss your injury and your claim.

Step 3: Seek Legal Advice

The best way to protect yourself and maximize what you can recover in compensation is hiring an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. If you meet the criteria for filing a workers’ compensation claim, an experienced lawyer from Munley Law would be an excellent resource and could help you record and document your injuries, make sure your claim is timely filed, and assist you if you are denied the benefits you deserve. If you have questions about whether you are covered, you should contact a lawyer to discuss your injury and your claim.

If you have already filed a successful workers’ compensation claim, you do not need an attorney. However, if your claim is denied, an attorney can help you with the next steps. If you are considering a claim where a third party, not your employer, was responsible for your injury, you should also consider consulting with an attorney.

Why Should I Choose Munley Law?

Munley law has over 60 years of experience helping injured workers file successful workers’ compensation claims and receive the benefits they deserved. Munley Law is consistently named to the Best Lawyers in America lists and our lawyers are certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. We have recovered millions of dollars over the years for our injured clients.

Injuries at the workplace are stressful, but having to navigate the workers’ compensation claim process afterward can be even more stressful. Hiring a lawyer will take the burden of collecting evidence and following the correct procedures off of your shoulders. In addition, an experienced attorney will also help ensure that you receive your benefits in a timely and straightforward manner.

Hiring an experienced workers’ compensation attorney is critical to the success of a workplace injury claim. If you are looking for a workers’ compensation attorney, contact Munley Law today to schedule a free consultation.