Where Can I Find the Best Workers' Compensation Lawyer in Pittsburgh?

Whether or not you should hire an attorney will depend on the circumstances of your claim and the severity of your injuries. However, consider speaking to us and finding out whether an attorney could help you. Initial consultations are always free at Morgan & Morgan, and we are happy to evaluate your case. 

You may not wish to work with a lawyer if you suffered only minor injuries and recovered the benefits you need. However, hiring a lawyer could be crucial in the following scenarios:

• You have a serious injury or pre-existing condition
• Your workers’ comp claim is complex 
• Your employer or the insurance company denied your claim
• Your injury prevents you from returning to your job
• Your employer retaliated against you after filing a workers’ comp claim
• You got hurt due to a third party’s recklessness or negligence

It is impossible to know exactly how long your workers’ compensation settlement will take as various factors are involved. Settlements can drag out considerably if an insurance company or employer is dragging their heels. In some cases, receiving a settlement can take more than a year.  

How Do I Make Ends Meet While Waiting?

Fortunately, benefits such as medical expenses will usually start within a day of filing a claim. However, workers’ compensation will only start paying wage loss benefits once the claim is approved. If your claim is accepted, you should receive your wage loss benefits within a month. If your claim is denied, you have the option of appealing against the decision. 

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, Pennsylvania workers’ comp legislation provides that employees receive benefits for work-related conditions while employers pay for the program. As a trade-off, the employer is generally protected from direct lawsuits by employees. Therefore, in most circumstances, employees cannot sue their employers. 

However, there can be rare exceptions. If, for example, the employer was grossly negligent in causing your injury or did not have workers’ comp insurance coverage at all, you could have grounds to file a personal injury lawsuit. 

A pre-existing condition generally does not qualify or disqualify workers from receiving workers' compensation benefits. If the pre-existing condition is unrelated to your work injury and claim, you are responsible for the medical bills to treat the injury. However, you would receive benefits for any expenses connected to the work injury.

Having a pre-existing condition can potentially add to the complexity of your claim. An insurance company might see your pre-existing condition as a convenient excuse to reduce the benefits they have to pay out. If you have a significant pre-existing injury that is aggravated in a work accident, you could be entitled to benefits for the worsening of your condition. 

Struggling through handling a claim with a pre-existing injury can be tricky on your own.  A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you straighten out any issues with pre-existing injuries. 

The majority of Pittsburgh employers are by law required to carry workers’ comp. However, occasionally an employer lets their insurance policy lapse or fails to obtain workers’ compensation coverage altogether. Unfortunately, when this happens, workers are generally unable to access benefits from the program. While it can be a shock to find out that your employer is uninsured, you could have other options for recovering financial help after getting hurt at work. 

Filing a Personal Injury Lawsuit

If your employer does not have workers’ comp insurance, you could potentially sue them or a third party for damages. If you are considering suing your employer, consult with an attorney, as you will have to provide evidence linking your employer’s negligence to your work injuries. 

Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund

In Pennsylvania, the uninsured employers guaranty fund can provide medical and income loss benefits to those whose employer lacks workers’ comp insurance. You can find details on how to apply on the Department of Labor & Industries website. 

One of the biggest worries of injured workers is whether they will continue to receive a salary after getting hurt. The potential of losing your wages can be highly stressful for the entire family.  While workers’ compensation does offer income loss benefits, the amount will not cover your whole salary. Workers’ comp wage loss benefits in Pennsylvania are typically capped at two-thirds of your average weekly wage.

Losing a third of your salary can be stressful, especially if you are the main earner in your family. Consider speaking to a workers’ comp attorney as there could be other avenues to recover what you deserve. You could potentially sue and recover compensation if a negligent third party caused your work injury, for example. The recovery from a lawsuit could bridge the gap in income and provide comfort and security.

The length of time for receiving workers’ compensation will depend on the severity of your injury or disability. 

Wage Loss Benefits

After you have received full or temporary total disability benefits for two years, the insurance company generally asks for an impairment rating evaluation. If you are totally and permanently disabled, you can collect workers’ comp benefits for the rest of your life.

If your rating shows less than 50% disability due to your work injury, you could still collect partial disability benefits for up to an additional 500 weeks. 

Workers’ compensation income benefits typically end when:

• You return to your job
• Your doctor releases you for work
• Your injury has improved as much as is possible

Medical Benefits

In Pennsylvania, the workers’ compensation insurance carrier should pay all your lifetime reasonable medical costs related to the work injury.

You may have to fight for your rightful benefits, as your employer or insurance company could fight your claim. Having a Pittsburgh workers compensation lawyer by your side can be advantageous.

Our workers’ compensation lawyers in Pittsburgh are here to protect your rights and work tirelessly for your best interests. Ways in which we can help include:

• Providing legal advice and guidance 
• Proving your disease or injury is work-related
• Gathering and organizing the relevant medical records
• Proving that you are unable to work
• Helping you pursue damages in a third-party personal injury lawsuit 
• Appealing against a denied workers’ comp claim
• Negotiating a fair settlement

Your attorney will investigate your claim comprehensively to try and maximize your benefits or settlement. An experienced lawyer can help level the playing field and provide you with a shoulder to lean on. Workers may get pressured to return to their job, experience unlawful retaliation, or face an unfair dismissal.  A workers’ compensation lawyer understands what you are up against and can protect you accordingly. 

Work injuries can leave you physically, emotionally, and financially drained. However, you have the right to adequate benefits and medical care if you experience a work injury or work-related illness. If you got hurt at work and do not know where to turn, or had your claim already denied, do not struggle on your own for any longer. 

Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Pittsburgh can help fight for your benefits while you are free to concentrate on getting better. Hiring us is free unless and until we win. Contact us now and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to learn about your rights.