How Do You Know When to Hire an Injury Lawyer?
Getting hurt on the job can cause big problems. Workplace injuries can be serious, and even result in death. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2.7 million workplace injuries and illnesses occurred in 2020. If you were injured on the job, you may need to miss work to deal with expensive medical treatment, lengthy physical therapy, and costly rehabilitation.
Thankfully, there are workers' compensation benefits to cover injured workers' medical expenses and lost wages. These benefits can also compensate families of workers who are killed on the job. By filing a workers' comp claim, you can recover the compensation you deserve to cover the costs of your injuries.
But how do you know when you need to hire a workers' compensation lawyer to handle your claim? Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys workers' comp lawyers can help you understand your rights and if you need a workers' compensation lawyer to handle your claim. Call us at 844-303-7321 or email us to schedule your free initial consultation.
Why Should You Hire a Pennsylvania Workers' Comp Lawyer?
If you were injured on the job and are not receiving benefits from your employer, you will need to file a workers' compensation claim as soon as possible. In Pennsylvania, you must report your injury to your employer within 120 days of the injury. You must file your formal claim with the workers' compensation committee within 3 years of the date of your injury. If you do not, you will not be able to receive workers' comp benefits.
Even if you are able to meet the deadlines without the assistance of a lawyer, the workers' compensation claims process can be complicated. It can be difficult for people who are unfamiliar with filing workers' compensation claims. One small mistake in your paperwork could cause your entire work comp claim to be denied.
Once you successfully obtain the benefits you deserve, your employer's insurance company can try to stop your payments before they are allowed to stop them. That's why you need a highly qualified workers' comp lawyer to help you timely secure the compensation you deserve for as long as you need it.
Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys experienced workers' comp lawyers are committed to getting the best outcome possible for you. Our skilled work injury lawyers accept all kinds of workers' compensation cases, large and small. We have obtained many top settlements and verdicts for our clients.
Remember, there are pros and cons to choosing a workers' compensation attorney. But in the end, hiring an attorney will give you peace of mind, knowing that your claim is being taken care of by an expert. If you are looking to hire an attorney for your workers' comp claim, here is a list of questions you should ask them before hiring.
Every workers' comp lawyer in our firm is professional, aggressive, and skilled at helping hurt employees get the compensation they deserve. We work hard to protect your interests and ensure you are satisfied with your case's outcome. Contact us online or call us at 844-303-7321 to speak to our experienced workers' comp lawyers for a free case evaluation.
A Workers' Comp Lawyer Can Help If Your Worker's Comp Claim Is Denied
Workers' comp benefits are meant to cover medical expenses and lost wages when you are injured on the job. It also provides compensation if you have an existing condition that is made worse by your job.
Unfortunately, many workers' compensation insurance firms deny claims that should not be denied. Here are some of the reasons your claim could be denied:
- You put inaccurate information in your incident report
- You filed the application later than 120 days after the accident
- Your employer challenges whether you were injured
- Your employer says that your injury is not severe
- Your employer argues that you were not injured at work or in a work-related accident
- Your employer accuses you of using alcohol or drugs while at work
- The insurance company says that you or your injury isn't covered by the insurance policy
If your claim is denied for any of these reasons, you can appeal. This means that you can go back to the workers' compensation committee and ask them to review your claim again. The appeals process can be challenging and take a long time. While you are dealing with an injury and trying to get well, you don't want to deal with the appeals procedures. That's why it is important to have a skilled workers' compensation lawyer fighting for your rights and handling the appeals process for you.
How Do I Know if I Am Covered by Workers' Comp?
The Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Act requires most Pennsylvania employers to protect their employees with workers' comp insurance, no matter how large or small their business. Full-time and part-time workers are covered. Employees are covered from the first day on the job and for the entire time they work.
But not all workers are covered. These workers might not be covered by Pennsylvania's workers' comp insurance:
- Railroad workers, federal employees, and employees covered by other workers' compensation laws
- Agricultural workers who work for one employer for less than 30 days in a year,
- Farm workers who earn less than $1,200 a year from one job,
- Workers who are independent contractors not employees,
- Volunteer workers, and
- Workers who provide domestic services such as house cleaning and lawn care.
If you are not sure if you are covered by Pennsylvania's workers' compensation laws, an experienced workers' compensation lawyer can answer your questions and help you decide the right course of action.
What To Do If You Were Injured on the Job
If you were injured in a workplace injury, you should seek medical attention. Even minor injuries, especially injuries to the back, can get worse as time passes. This is why you need to go to the doctor or medical clinic immediately after a work-related accident, even if you are not certain that your injury is serious.
After you receive medical attention, fill out an incident report form at work and report your accident in writing to your supervisor as soon as possible. The workers' compensation law of Pennsylvania provides that you have 120 days from the accident to file this report. In our experience, it is best to not wait and to file your report within 3 days of the incident if you can.
After you file your report, your employers' workers' comp insurance company will likely contact you to find out more about your accident and injury. It is best to speak with an experienced work injury lawyer before talking to the insurance company. Sometimes, insurers try to get you to say things that will negatively affect your claim because they want to reduce your benefits. A skilled workers' comp lawyer can talk directly to the insurance company for you so you get all the compensation you deserve.
Workers' comp claims are not handled in court. Instead, they go through a special process within the workers' compensation system. Decisions on your claim can be made by a workers' comp administrative judge, by negotiation and settlement, or through alternative dispute resolution processes like mediation.
FAQs about Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation
Q: What is Pennsylvania's workers' compensation?
The Pennsylvania workers' compensation system requires employers to pay for insurance coverage so that employees hurt on the job receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and disability caused by work-related accidents. For most employers, workers' comp coverage is required. If employers do not provide workers' compensation insurance coverage, they may be sued by their employees and may be prosecuted for a crime.
Q: How long do I have to report my injury and file my workers' comp claim?
Under Pennsylvania law, you must report your injury to your employer within 120 days of the injury. You must file your claim within 3 years of the date of your injury. These time limits are strictly enforced so it is important for an injured worker to speak with an experienced worker's compensation lawyer as soon as possible. If you do not report your injury or file your claim in time, your claim will be denied and you will not be able to receive money for your injuries.
Q: How much money will I receive for my workplace injuries?
According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry, workers and their families in Pennsylvania received over $2.8 million in 2019 from the workers' compensation system. The amount of money you can receive for your injuries varies. Answers to these questions will help determine the amount of compensation you receive:
- How severe your injuries are,
- Whether you are totally or partially disabled, and
- The amount of time you are unable to work.
Q: What are the benefits hiring an experienced workers' comp lawyer?
Some of the benefits of hiring a Pennsylvania workers' comp lawyer include:
- Ensuring your paperwork is filed on time and filled out properly. This ensures your claim is not denied for errors in your paperwork.
- Ensuring you receive all the benefits you are entitled to receive, and that those benefits continue for as long as possible.
- Generally, an injured worker who hires an experienced workers' compensation lawyer receives more money for their claim than workers who do not hire a lawyer.
- Handling discussions with insurance companies and the workers' comp board on your behalf so you can focus on getting well.
- All insurance companies and most employers have lawyers to handle workers' compensation claims. If you do not hire a lawyer, you will need to talk directly to those lawyers. With an experienced workers' comp lawyer, your lawyer can speak to the other lawyers for you.
- An experienced workers' comp lawyer can answer all your questions and will have your best interest in mind.
- If your claim is denied, especially if you did not have an attorney for handling your claim initially, an experienced workers' comp lawyer can appeal the denial. In many cases, the worker is successful on appeal when an experienced workers' comp lawyer handles the case.
Q: What makes Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys different from other workers' compensation lawyers?
At Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys, you get more than a lawyer. You get a law firm. Our attorneys work together as a team to give you the insight, experience, and combined efforts of our entire law firm. Our lawyers are highly-skilled and have a reputation for working harder than other lawyers. We protect your rights and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve in your worker's comp case. Our mission is to help injured workers.
Q: Are the workers' comp lawyers of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys expensive?
We know how difficult it can be when you are injured on the job. The workers' compensation process can be time-consuming and difficult. When you are trying to get well so you can return to work, the last thing you need to worry about is dealing with the claims process and other lawyers. That's why the workers' compensation lawyers of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. This means you don't pay any legal fees to Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys unless we collect money for you on your workers' comp claim.
Talk to a Workers' Compensation Lawyer Today
When you are injured on the job, you want to use your time to heal, not fight with your employer or their insurance company. The experienced workers' comp lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys can help. We can pursue your claim for you, at no up-front cost to you, so you receive the compensation you deserve, which can include money for medical expenses, physical therapy, lost wages, and more.
Call us toll-free at 844-303-7321 today to speak to a qualified workers' comp lawyer. Or contact us using our online form. We will review your case and tell you about your legal rights at no cost to you.
