Note- all cases are unique. These are general guidelines. You should speak to me or another experienced Pennsylvania Work Comp Lawyer to discuss the details of your situation.
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-Call me!
-Give notice of your work injury to a boss or supervisor, explaining how you were injured, when, and what injuries you sustained. Notice must be given within 120 days but immediate notice is strongly suggested.
-Ask your employer if they have a panel doctor for you to see in the first 90 days. You can avoid having to treat with a panel doctor if certain technicalities weren’t met. Call or email me for details on this. Panel doctors work for the employer- they are not on your side. Their goal is to minimize the nature of your injury and get you back to work no matter how you are feeling.
-Get medical treatment as soon as possible. Give an accurate and precise history- and slow the doctor down if he or she is going 100mph and trying to rush you out of the office.
-Fill out any papers given to you by your employer such as an incident report.
-If asked about prior injuries, make sure to think carefully about your past to make sure you give an accurate history.
-If you continue working after the work injury, make sure the employer is abiding by your doctor’s restrictions and if it isn’t, take daily notes as to how it isn’t complying and report the non-compliance to a supervisor.
-Do not talk to other co-workers about your case.
-Make sure you get a Notice of Compensation Payable, a Temporary Notice of Compensation Payable, or a Notice of Denial within 21 days of when you gave notice of your injury. Ask your claims rep to send you a copy of whichever of these documents he/she filed. If you are getting work comp checks, ask for a copy of a Statement of Wages to see how they calculated your average weekly wage and compensation rate.
–Read your company handbook carefully to make sure you follow protocols for calling out sick, presenting doctor’s notes, etc. Employers are often trying to terminate injured workers after a work injury- and they know they cannot retaliate and terminate an employee merely because they are injured or pursuing Pennsylvania Work Comp benefits- but they can terminate an employee for many other reasons.
For more information about Pennsylvania Work Comp Law, call experienced Pennsylvania Work Comp Lawyer (for injured workers only), Michael Cardamone at 215-206-9068 or email Michael@cardamonelaw.com
Free consults 7 days a week
