Every day across Pennsylvania, thousands of utility workers brave dangerous conditions to keep our communities powered, connected, and functioning. If you’re a utility worker injured on the job in Pennsylvania, you have specific rights under the state’s workers’ compensation laws. However, navigating these claims presents challenges that require specialized knowledge and experience.
At Munley Law, our Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys understand the specific risks Pennsylvania utility workers face and the complexities involved in securing fair benefits after a workplace injury. We’ve successfully represented linemen, meter readers, telecommunications workers, gas company employees, and other utility professionals throughout Pennsylvania.
If you were injured in the workplace, we’re here to help. Contact Munley Law today to schedule a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win your case.
What Benefits Are Available to Injured Utility Workers in Pennsylvania?
As an injured utility worker in Pennsylvania, you may be entitled to several types of workers’ compensation benefits under PA law:
- Full medical coverage for all necessary treatment related to your work injury, from emergency care after a power line accident to long-term rehabilitation for electrical burns
- Wage loss benefits (typically two-thirds of your average weekly wage, including overtime and hazard pay common in PECO, PPL, UGI, and other Pennsylvania utility companies)
- Specific loss benefits for permanent injuries like electrical burns, amputations, loss of vision from flash burns, or hearing damage from equipment noise
- Death benefits for families of utility workers who lose their lives on the job in tragic accidents
Every day across Pennsylvania, from Philadelphia’s urban grid to the rural service areas of central PA, thousands of utility workers brave dangerous conditions to keep our communities powered, connected, and functioning. From electrical linemen working on high-voltage equipment for PPL or PECO to gas line technicians handling hazardous materials for UGI or Columbia Gas, Pennsylvania utility workers face unique workplace hazards that can lead to serious injuries.
At Munley Law, our workers’ compensation attorneys understand the specific risks Pennsylvania utility workers face and the complexities involved in securing fair benefits after a workplace injury. We’ve successfully represented linemen, meter readers, telecommunications workers, gas company employees, and other utility professionals throughout Pennsylvania counties, including Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lehigh, Berks, Philadelphia, and Allegheny.
Common Injuries Faced by Pennsylvania Utility Workers
Utility workers in Pennsylvania face numerous workplace hazards that can result in serious injuries. These dedicated professionals work in all weather conditions, often at heights, with dangerous equipment, and around hazardous materials.
- Electrical Injuries and Burns: Pennsylvania linemen and electrical utility workers regularly face the danger of electrical shock, resulting in severe burns requiring extensive medical treatment and skin grafts. Arc flash injuries can cause permanent disfigurement, while electrical current can lead to nerve damage, chronic pain, and neuropathy. Workers may also suffer cardiac complications requiring long-term care. According to OSHA data, utility line work ranks among America’s top 10 most dangerous jobs, with electrical hazards being a primary risk factor for Pennsylvania utility employees.
- Falls From Heights: Many utility workers in Pennsylvania’s energy sector regularly climb poles, towers, and operate from bucket trucks or lifts. These falls can cause traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord damage, and broken bones requiring surgery. Even falls from relatively low heights can result in serious injuries. Ladder accidents during meter reading or service calls are common, and equipment failure on aerial lifts used by Pennsylvania telecommunications workers can lead to catastrophic injuries.
- Hazardous Material Exposure: Gas company workers at UGI and Columbia Gas, wastewater treatment employees, and other Pennsylvania utility professionals frequently encounter dangerous substances. This exposure can result in chemical burns from corrosive materials used in water treatment, respiratory conditions from toxic fumes during gas leak responses, and long-term health complications from asbestos in older infrastructure. Occupational diseases like mesothelioma or cancer may take years to manifest, and natural gas explosions can cause catastrophic injuries to gas utility workers.
- Weather-Related Injuries: Pennsylvania utility workers often perform essential services in extreme weather conditions, leading to heat stress and heat stroke during summer work on exposed infrastructure, hypothermia and frostbite during winter storm restoration efforts, and injuries from lightning strikes while working on elevated structures. Workers also experience slip and fall injuries on ice during winter power restoration and vehicle accidents when responding to emergency calls during severe weather.
- Vehicle and Roadside Accidents: Utility workers frequently operate in or near active roadways throughout Pennsylvania, risking truck accidents while transporting equipment or responding to service calls. Many suffer injuries when passing vehicles intrude into work zones, equipment failures cause vehicle rollovers on rural Pennsylvania roads, crashes during emergency response situations, and injuries while exiting service vehicles in high-traffic areas.
- Repetitive Stress and Overexertion Injuries: The physical demands of utility work can lead to chronic conditions such as back injuries from lifting heavy equipment or climbing, shoulder and rotator cuff damage from overhead work common in line maintenance, knee injuries from frequent climbing and kneeling during installations, hand and wrist conditions from using vibrating tools, and hearing loss from prolonged exposure to loud equipment.
If you’ve suffered any of these injuries while working for a Pennsylvania utility company like PPL, PECO, UGI, Columbia Gas, or any telecommunications provider, our experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys can help you navigate the claims process and fight for the benefits you deserve.
Why Utility Worker Claims Are Different
Utility worker compensation claims present unique challenges that require specialized legal knowledge:
- Multiple Worksite Locations: Unlike employees who work at a fixed location, utility workers typically service large territories across multiple Pennsylvania counties, creating jurisdictional questions and documentation challenges.
- Contractor vs. Employee Status Complications: Many Pennsylvania utility companies increasingly rely on contractors and subcontractors, creating confusion about workers’ compensation responsibility and coverage disputes.
- Emergency Response Situations: When utility workers respond to emergencies like storm damage or gas leaks, modified safety protocols and crisis conditions can complicate injury claims.
- Complex Wage Calculations: Utility workers often have irregular schedules with overtime, hazard pay, and on-call premiums that must be factored adequately into benefit calculations.
Our attorneys at Munley Law understand these industry-specific challenges and have the expertise to address them effectively.
How Munley Law Helps Pennsylvania Utility Workers
Our approach to utility worker compensation claims focuses on industry-specific expertise:
- Industry-Specific Investigation: We understand the technical aspects of utility work, equipment, and safety protocols, allowing us to conduct thorough investigations that document the full circumstances of your injury.
- Medical Expert Coordination: We work with specialists who understand utility-specific injuries and can properly document the connection between your work activities and your medical condition.
- Accurate Benefit Calculation: We ensure that all aspects of your compensation are considered when calculating benefits, including overtime, hazard pay, on-call premiums, and other earnings components standard in utility work.
- Long-Term Impact Assessment: Injuries often have significant long-term career implications for utility workers with physically demanding jobs. We work with vocational experts to document how your injury affects your future earning capacity in the specialized utility industry.
Contact Munley Law for Your Pennsylvania Utility Worker Compensation Claim
If you’re a lineman, telecommunications worker, gas technician, or any utility worker injured on the job in Pennsylvania, don’t face the workers’ compensation system alone. The experienced team at Munley Law is ready to help you navigate the complexities of your claim and fight for the full benefits you deserve under Pennsylvania law.
Our attorneys understand your essential work and the unique risks you face as a Pennsylvania utility worker. We’re committed to ensuring Pennsylvania’s utility workers receive fair treatment and full compensation when workplace injuries occur.
