The Workers' Compensation Act provides a system to pay benefits to workers injured on the job or having an occupational disease regardless of who was to blame and regardless of the previous physical condition of the employee.
The law applies to all injuries or occupational diseases occurring in Pennsylvania no matter where the worker was hired and may cover injuries or occupational diseases that happened outside of Pennsylvania under certain circumstances.
Basic benefits DO NOT include any recovery for pain and suffering. They DO include the following:
- Weekly compensation to the disabled worker;
- Reasonable, necessary and related hospital, surgical and medical expenses; and
- Death benefits and burial expenses for the deceased worker's dependents.
Workers' Compensation law is extremely different from law involving injuries incurred because of car accidents or other kinds of non-work associated incidents. In fact, Workers Compensation has its own regulations and rules…even its own court system.
Its our experience that many people receive advice on Workers Compensation from family, friends, doctors or their employers that is either inaccurate or completely false.
Feel free to contact our offices for expert advice and answers to questions like the following:
- Am I free to seek medical advice from a doctor(s) of my choice?
- Can my employer or my employers insurance company force me to see their doctor(s)?
- What do I do (or does my employer do) about my medical bills?
- My employers insurance company has sent me a Utilization Review Petition. What is it and what should I do?
- Under what circumstances can an insurance company stop paying benefits to me?
- How much is my case worth?
- Should I seek any kind of settlement?
- Can I get any money for my pain and suffering?
Answers to questions about money for you and your attorney depend to a great extent on the individual circumstances and facts of your case. During the course of your case your attorney will be in an ongoing process of fact-finding and evaluation of those facts.
If we take your case, and the insurance company denies it, The Firm will fight for you throughout the legal process. Well let you know if and when we believe your case is ready for settlement.
In the event we do not obtain benefits for you, we will charge no fee for our work on your behalf.
