Our Wilkes-Barre Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Can Help You With Your Claim
Did you know that for certain work injuries that result in the loss of a body part or organ or permanent disfigurement, there is a special financial compensation payable to the injured worker that is separate from general Pennsylvania workers’ compensation?
If you have suffered an on-the-job injury that resulted in serious and permanent disfigurement, loss of a limb or body part such as a hand, leg, or eye, or loss of the use of a body part or organ you may be eligible to collect specific loss benefits. You want a Wilkes-Barre workers’ compensation lawyer from Munley Law in your corner.
What Are Specific Loss Benefits?
While workers’ compensation insurance pays for your medical expenses for treatment of your work-related injury and lost wages, specific loss benefits are special financial compensation for loss of body parts or body function.
These specific loss payments are the financial compensation you may be entitled to when you have suffered an injury at work so severe that you have permanent damage, such as:
- Permanent disfigurement of the face, head, or neck
- Loss of a limb, such as a leg or arm
- Loss of another body part or organ, such as a hand, finger, eye, or ear
- Loss of the ability, even partially, of any body part or organ, including vision loss or hearing loss
The Wilkes-Barre workers’ compensation attorneys at Munley Law are a family of local lawyers with roots in the Scranton Wilkes-Barre area for over 60 years. We will fight for your rights as we have fought for other PA workers for over six decades.
Call us today for your free consultation.
How Much Do Specific Loss Benefits Pay?
When claiming a specific loss for your injury, there are guidelines set by Pennsylvania law for compensation. Some examples include:
- 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
Compensation will depend on whether the injury results in partial or total loss, and temporary or permanent disability. The complete list of specific loss payment amounts is outlined in the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act.
Can I Receive My Specific Loss Benefits in a Single Lump Sum Payment?
Specific loss payments can be made in a lump sum payment. However, accepting a single payout may include a lower settlement amount than the total you would have received in a structured settlement (payments over time) or regular payments.
You may also be relinquishing your right to collect more payments in the future.
Your Wilkes-Barre workers’ compensation attorney can discuss all of these considerations with you and more.
How Can a Wilkes-Barre Workers Comp Attorney Help With My Specific Loss Benefits?
If you have suffered a disfiguring accident at work or you have lost a limb or other body part, you will need the best workers’ compensation attorney in Wilkes-Barre to help you with your claim. Many times, the insurance company may try to dispute the severity of your injury or claim the workplace accident did not cause the loss of your body party. That’s where the help of a workers’ comp lawyer comes into play.
Workers’ compensation law can be challenging to navigate on your own. You need an attorney by your side to walk you through the specifics of your claim, explaining the deadlines that need to be met and your next steps after the accident. If the insurance company delays or denies your medical bills, a compensation lawyer will speak to the insurance carrier on your behalf.
In some cases, a third party may have caused your injury. For example, a malfunctioning machine at the Chewy warehouse where you work resulted in losing your hand. If it is discovered that the manufacturer had known about the defect yet did nothing to fix the machine before it went to market, you may have a personal injury claim with that manufacturer, also known as a third party claim. It’s important to hire a Wilkes-Barre workers’ compensation attorney who has not only experience in workers comp law but also is experienced in personal injury cases.
How Much Does it Cost to Hire a Workers’ Comp Attorney for My Specific Loss Benefits?
Munley Law does not charge a fee until we successfully settle your workers comp claim. We work on what’s known as a contingency fee, which means that you do not owe us a fee at the start of your case. If your case is successful, we will take a percentage of your settlement. However, if we cannot recover your claim successfully, you do not owe us anything.
Why Choose Munley Law?
If you were involved in a workplace accident that resulted in the loss of a body or loss of function of a body part, do not wait. For more than 60 years, the Wilkes-Barre workers’ compensation attorneys at Munley Law have been helping injured workers throughout Luzerne County with their injuries. We will not rest until you are properly compensated.
Contact the Wilkes-Barre workers compensation lawyers at Munley Law today to schedule a free consultation.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys
1170 PA-315
Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702
(570) 399-0406
