Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Philadelphia is a hard-working city with diverse industries covering everything from oil refineries and manufacturing to higher education and healthcare. Just as the city is committed to hard work ethics, the Philadelphia workers’ compensation attorneys at Grungo Law are deeply committed to ensuring that injured workers recover the compensation they deserve after an on-the-job injury. Call the Philadelphia injury lawyers at Grungo Law so we can put our skills, experience, and resources behind your claim.

Why Choose Grungo Law for Your Workers’ Compensation Attorneys In Philadelphia?

When you give it your all at work but a work injury leaves you temporarily or permanently unable to return to work at the same time that you have unexpected medical bills piling up, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and uncertain about your physical and financial future. The attorneys at Grungo Law in Philadelphia understand the distress of worrying about paying the bills and caring for your family. At Grungo Law, you can expect the following:

• We know you didn’t plan ahead for a serious injury, so we offer free consultations and work without pay until after we recover your compensation
• A team of dedicated attorneys with an in-depth understanding of the workers’ compensation laws and claim process in Pennsylvania
• Founding attorney, Richard Grungo is a certified trial attorney with many years of experience and a well-respected history of success
• The dedicated attention of an attorney working on your claim together with an entire team’s collaborative efforts on your side
• A successful legal approach that provides a tailored strategy to make the most compelling case possible for every client rather than a cookie-cutter claim process

Our successful track record includes recovering over $135 million for injured clients through personal injury lawsuits and workers’ compensation claims, including a recent $6.5 million recovery for the family members of a fatally injured construction worker.

What Is Workers’ Compensation?

Since 1915, Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation Act has provided statewide, no-fault insurance for employers to protect them from lawsuits after an employee injury and to protect employees from suffering financial hardship after suffering an injury at work. Workers’ compensation pays for injury-related medical care after a work injury and also provides injured workers with a portion of their standard weekly pay while they are unable to return to the job. It covers any injury or occupational illness suffered by an employee during their work duties. Workers’ compensation also provides death benefits for the family members of fatally injured employees.

All Pennsylvania employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance except those covered under other workers’ compensation acts such as those in place for railroad workers, longshoremen, or federal employees.

Despite its promised protections, workers’ compensation does not approve every injury claim. A significant number of valid claims receive denials. By hiring a Philidelphia workers’ compensation lawyer, you maximize your chances of recovering all of the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.

Why Does Workers’ Compensation Sometimes Deny Claims?

As much as employees rely on the safety net of workers’ compensation insurance in Philadelphia and throughout Pennsylvania, private companies provide this coverage. Like all private businesses, insurance companies exist to make profits and prioritize those profits over paying out on claims. Workers’ compensation may deny your benefits for reasons such as the following:

• Missing reporting deadlines: an employee must report their injury to their employers as soon as possible, or no more than 21 days from the accident date to recover retroactive benefits for medical expenses and lost pay or within 120 days to collect any compensation
• You provided insufficient proof that the injury occurred at work
• Your claim lacked the required information or documentation
• You received medical care through a provider who is not on your employer’s approved list
• You lack evidence that your injury occurred at work or during your work duties
• You have a pre-existing condition
• Your employer disputes the cause of your claim or states that you are not a covered employee but an independent contractor

Sometimes workers’ compensation denies claims for paperwork errors or state that the injured employee was acting irresponsibly or was intoxicated at the time the injury occurred. An experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorney protects your rights against workers’ compensation denials. For instance, having a pre-existing condition does not automatically bar you from receiving benefits if you suffered an injury at work that worsened the condition.

How Much Does Workers’ Compensation Pay?

Workers’ compensation pays for all medical costs for injury-related treatment, including your emergency treatment and all follow-ups, procedures, and rehabilitation providing you see approved providers for care. It also provides two-thirds of your standard weekly pay; however, maximums or “caps” apply to higher-paid workers. Lower-paid workers who earn less than $669.43 per week receive 90% of their standard weekly pay.

What Is the Process for a Workers’ Compensation Claim In Philadelphia?

The process of recovering compensation through a Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claim begins immediately after the injury. The victim of a workplace injury should seek medical treatment immediately after the injury. If physically able to use a phone, taking photos of the cause of the injury—such as a broken scaffolding or fallen shelf—and of any visible injury helps provide evidence that the injury occurred at work.

At the hospital or urgent care center, ask for a detailed medical report of the injury, the doctor’s recommended treatment, and your prognosis. Then, inform your immediate supervisor and ask for them to fill out an accident report. Report the injury to your employer in writing as soon as possible. Then call a workers’ compensation attorney to ensure a streamlined process so you recover the full compensation available to you as quickly as possible.

Pennsylvania employers have 21 days after receiving notice of the injury to approve or reject your claim. If your employer denies your claim, you can request a hearing with a workers’ compensation judge and present your evidence to the judge.

Call the Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at Grungo Law

Few legal processes are as critical as a workers’ compensation claim when an injury prevents your return to work and requires expensive medical treatment. Hiring an experienced Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyer maximizes your chances of a successful claim. If you’ve already filed your claim and received a denial, you need assertive legal representation to appeal the denial. Contact Grungo Law in Philadelphia for skilled legal counsel throughout all steps of the workers’ compensation claim process for optimal results in your case.