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Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Concord Township

For more than four decades, the Concord workers’ compensation lawyers at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC have been providing skilled legal services to injured employees in Concord Township and throughout the state of Pennsylvania. Our team of attorneys and support staff is dedicated to helping injured workers with their claims, and we are proud to represent this Delaware County community and its residents who need help with workers’ compensation claims.

Workers’ Compensation, Explained

What is workers’ compensation? It is insurance designed to provide medical care and benefits for employees who become injured or ill in situations directly related to their jobs. Employers pay for the insurance, and workers do not contribute to the costs of their compensation. Those benefits are paid by the insurance provider, and this is administered by the Workers’ Compensation Board, a state agency that processes claims.

According to Pennsylvania laws, this coverage is required for most employees with certain exceptions: some employees have coverage through other workers’ compensation acts like federal employees, independent contractors, longshoremen, some agricultural workers, domestic servants, and railroad workers. With these claims, neither party is determined to be at fault. Keep in mind that an employee will lose his or her right if there was an intent to injure him/herself or another person or if the injury resulted from drug or alcohol intoxication.

Workers’ compensation can be viewed as a trade-off, because while employers must provide benefits to most workers regardless of fault, this limits their liability and they generally become immune from employees’ personal injury lawsuits. There are sometimes exceptions when employees can hold their companies responsible for what happened.

How Does Workers’ Compensation Benefit Employees?

Unlike health care coverage, workers’ compensation begins the first day that an employee starts working with a company. When claims are made, no one is held liable unless exceptions are made for situations like the ones described above. Employees can receive the care they need and in the best case scenarios, they will not need to worry about paying the medical bills or job security. The coverage can apply to the following categories:

  • Medical bills: Workers’ compensation covers the medical expenses incurred by the injury or illness, such as hospital and physician visits and stays, surgeries, medications, rehabilitation, and medical devices like wheelchairs.
  • Disability: This can include temporary partial, permanent partial, and permanent total disability. Some injured employees can return to work in limited capacities or other roles temporarily, while others must alter their career permanently to accommodate their disability. With permanent total disability, employees may never be able to return to work at all; examples include traumatic brain injuries, loss of a limb, and cancers.
  • Income Loss: Employees who are unable to return to work temporarily or permanently may receive regular income, and this amounts to two-thirds of the originally salary.

How Are Workers’ Compensation Claims Filed in Concord Township, Pennsylvania?

If you become injured at work or diagnosed with a work-related illness, it should be reported to your employer as soon as possible. The time limit to report the injury or illness is 21 days after the injury to get coverage, and it does not need to be filed by the worker; it can be done by a colleague or a loved one. The report must include the employee’s name, date, time, location, and possible cause, and can be done in writing or an email. The employer is then responsible for filing this information with the insurance carrier. The employer will also file a first report of injury through the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

You will want to get a thorough medical exam and be sure to follow the doctor’s advice for your treatment plan. If you stray from their instructions, your coverage might be questioned. Try to keep a journal of everything that happened, find out if there were witnesses (if there was a worksite accident), document your treatment, and save all the receipts.

Your employer or insurance provider might deny responsibility for the claim or make it difficult for you to receive the benefits in a timely manner, though. When this happens, you have the right to petition the Bureau’s Office of Adjudication and be heard before a judge. These cases can be challenging, especially for injured and ill workers who have their hands full taking care of themselves.

How Can a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Help My Case?

Understanding your legal options is crucial with workers’ compensation cases, especially when your claim is questioned, delayed, or denied. Our experienced Concord workers’ compensation lawyers can help you file the claim and assist with any roadblocks that you might encounter.

Many workplace injuries are caused by reckless or negligent actions of third parties, like equipment manufacturers. One example might be a truck driver who was driving a forklift that had a defective part made by a contracted vendor. Other situations might involve a hired construction management company who used a negligent supervisor to oversee your work or the building management company that did not maintain your workspace in a safe manner. Showing liability in these circumstances can be complex undertakings, and the Concord workers’ compensation lawyers at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan are also qualified to help in these kinds of instances.

Concord Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC Fight to Protect the Rights of Injured Employees

If you or someone you care for became injured or ill from a work-related incident, reach out to the caring, knowledgeable Concord workers’ compensation lawyers from Wusinich, Sweeney & Ryan, LLC for a free consultation. Submit our online form or call us at 610-594-1600 to schedule a confidential consultation.

From our offices in Exton, Pennsylvania, we serve workers and their families in Concord Township, Downingtown, West Chester, Exton, Coatesville, Phoenixville, Malvern, Lyndell, Wagontown, Uwchland, Parkesburg, Chester Springs, Lancaster County, Reading, and Morgantown.

Come visit our experienced legal team today at our Exton, Pennsylvania office.