Any worker injured on the job is entitled to Philadelphia Workmans comp that will cover medical expenses related to that injury. They are also entitled to a portion of their wages while they are recuperating. Higher-salaried employees can expect about 2/3 of their pay to be reimbursed, while lower-income workers may be reimbursed up to 90 percent. If this calculation is set too low, it can have dire consequences for the injured worker and their family. Even if the employer and insurance carrier have agreed that the worker was injured on the job, they may not agree to an adequate amount of payments during the recuperation period. If this happens, then the worker needs to enlist the help of an attorney.
While the worker will have medical coverage for the injury they sustained at work, they could lose their overall health coverage for themselves and their family. It is doubtful that they could continue to pay for these out of their own pocket. After a worker has used up their sick leave, vacation time and any disability period, they may well be terminated. That means that they lose all of their fringe benefits such as health insurance. A good attorney will work with them to force the company and their insurance carrier to look at the extent of the injury and impact that it is having on their life.
For the first 90 days after the work place accident, the injured worker is required to use a doctor on an approved list. However, that doctor has to be in a convenient location for the worker. If the worker requires a specialist, not included on the list, then they may find their own specialist. The worker has to remember that while the doctor may be listed as an independent doctor, they were selected by the employer or insurance company. If they dispute the doctor’s findings or believe the doctor is minimizing the injury, they need to find a lawyer to help them with their Workmans comp claim. This medical assessment could be used to limit the time period that they are eligible for workers comp payments.
