According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2020 alone, employers reported 2.7 million injury and illness cases in private industry. With a reported 3.4 million people employed in the warehousing and storage industry, many of these workplace accidents occur in warehouse settings. And some happen right in our own region.
If you or a loved one are employed by East Coast Logistics Warehouse or another warehouse in NEPA, the workers’ compensation lawyers of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys are here to help. Workplace accidents happen, but that doesn’t mean you have to suffer without workers compensation.
About East Coast Logistics Warehouses
East Coast Logistics and Distribution, Inc. is a third party logistics company located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. With three distribution centers, the facilities are located near major highways in PA including in:
- Mountaintop, PA
- Pittston, PA
East Coast Logistics Warehouses specialize in logistics support for:
- Manufacturing
- Distributors
- Wholesale
Its warehouse capabilities include:
- Contract Warehousing
- Public Warehousing
- Pick/Pack, Subassembly
- Cross Docking
- DC Management
- Site Location Services
- Fulfillment
Common Workplace Injuries at Warehouses
With larger companies utilizing the services of East Coast Logistics Warehouses for their own storage and delivery needs, it’s not surprising that so many incidents involving employees may occur.
Common workplace injuries synonymous with warehouse settings include:
- Forklift accidents
- Falling objects
- Stuck between objects, machinery, etc.
- Being injured in a motor vehicle accident while loading or driving a tractor-trailer
- Slip and falls
- Hazardous materials
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Overexertion
These accidents can sometimes be minor, but unfortunately, they also run the risk of turning fatal.
Minor to severe injuries from common warehouse accidents may include:
- Broken bones
- Amputated limbs
- Toxic exposure
- Sprains and fractures
- Muscle strain
- Death
If you find yourself injured after a warehouse injury, know that you have options through the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act.
What is the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act?
The Pennsylvania Workmen’s (Workers’) Compensation Act was enacted in 1915. The statute places the Department of Labor & Industry and the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in charge of the administrative and appeal obligations of employee workers’ compensation related to workplace injuries.
The Workers’ Compensation Act works to protect both employees and employers. Under the legislation, employees are entitled to receive medical treatment for work-related injuries and illness as well as workers’ compensation for lost wages while they were injured. Further, employers will provide the cost of this coverage and then be protected from lawsuits by employees for these workplace incidents. If employers do not comply with the Act, they can face serious lawsuits by employees and the Commonwealth.
Workers’ compensation benefits coverage is mandatory for most employers. However, exemptions exist for the following groups:
- Employees covered under other workers’ compensation acts
- Domestic servants
- Agricultural workers who work fewer than 30 days or earn less than $1,200 in a calendar year
- Employees who have requested and been granted an exemption due to religious beliefs or due to these executive statuses in a corporation
Employers obtain workers’ compensation insurance through an insurance carrier. Under the Act, employees are covered for the entire period of their employment with workers’ compensation coverage beginning the first day on the job.
Further, state and federal employee rights laws protect employees from retaliation from employers for utilizing workers’ compensation coverage for their workplace injuries and illness.
Your rights as an injured warehouse worker include:
- To file a workers’ compensation claim without retaliation
- To appeal a denied claim
- To receive medical treatment promptly
- To receive workers’ comp benefits that you qualify for
- To seek legal representation of a workers’ comp attorney
It’s important to remember that in many cases, the workplace accident is not your fault if you have not acted negligently or outside of the scope of your job duties. More often than not, these accidents are a result of workplace conditions that your employer has not improved upon, or working standards that result in injury.
This is why oftentimes employers will ask for any witnesses to the accident to try to pivot the blame from their workplace standards to an employee acting in a way they should not have been.
What Benefits Are East Coast Logistics Employees Entitled To Under Workers’ Comp?
Like any Pennsylvania employees, you are entitled to certain workers compensation benefits under the PA Workers’ Comp Act to cover your losses related to a workplace injury.
These include:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Future medical costs
- Funeral expenses in the case of wrongful death of a loved one
In order to collect these workers’ compensation benefits, you must be sure to follow the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act regulations.
This means you first must seek medical attention following the accident. While you will likely use your own doctor immediately following the accident, especially if there are severe injuries, you will have to eventually see a company-approved physician. This typically happens once you have notified your employer of the accident and they have filed a formal report. If you wait to seek medical attention, it can hurt the validity of your claim. Be sure to watch the deadlines and document everything.
Once you have sought medical attention and communicated with your employer, then you will be able to file a workers’ compensation claim. Be sure to follow the requirements of the paperwork and, if you feel as though you need help through it, contact a workers’ compensation attorney.
Unfortunately, not filing the paperwork correctly can result in a denied workers compensation claim. But a lawyer can help you appeal that decision.
I Work For East Coast Logistics Warehouses. Can the Workers’ Comp Attorneys at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Help Me?
If you work for East Coast Logistics Warehouses or any other warehouse in Pennsylvania, you need to be aware of the rights you have should you become injured in the workplace or suffer from work-related illnesses.
A workers’ comp lawyer at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys can help you by:
- Helping you during the claims process.
- Proving the accident occurred at work.
- Fighting for your rights to collect disability should your workplace sickness or injury result in permanent disability.
- Making sure your employer and the insurance companies undergo the workers’ comp process in a timely manner, without compromising your benefits or future employment.
- Petitioning your workers’ comp claim if it is denied.
While you never have to seek out legal representation, having a workers’ compensation attorney from Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys by your side as soon as you begin the process can prove greatly important.
Injured at an East Coast Logistics Warehouse? Call Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys Now.
The Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys workers’ compensation lawyers are well-versed in warehouse and heavy machinery accidents across Pennsylvania. If you suffered minor or life-threatening injuries that have resulted in time off, lost wages, and piling medical bills, a workers’ comp attorney can help you get your life back on track and file a workers compensation claim.
Our compassionate workers’ compensation attorneys can review the facts of your case, help you through the initial workers’ compensation claim filing process as soon as you become injured, or help you petition the courts and your employer if your claim is denied. You and your family have suffered enough because of a workplace issue. The time to act is now to ensure you get the benefits that are entitled to you.
For a no-obligation, free consultation, contact the workers’ compensation attorneys of Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys today by calling 570-209-5514 or by contacting us online.
