The City of Wilkes-Barre is attempting to recover Heart & Lung Benefits paid to an injured police officer. In 1996, the Wilkes-Barre police officer was involved in a motor vehicle accident, was off work for 9 years due to severe injuries, and received Heart & Lung benefits. The police officer also received a settlement of $500,000.00 from the driver of the car that hit him. The City of Wilkes-Barre is arguing that the police officer should pay back the City for the Heart & Lung benefits he received out of the settlement monies. A judge has said that the benefits should not be paid back, however, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court is going to ultimately decide the issue.

If you have a question about workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania, call us at (877) 291-9675 for a no obligation, free consultation.

A 30 year old ISA employee was killed on Monday, October 24, 2011, when he was crushed between two truck containers. Three containers were being prepared to place on railroad cars, when an operator bumped one of the containers, pinning the employee between the other two. ISA is a contractor for Lehigh Valley Rail Management. The work injury occurred at an intermodal transportation center on Commerce Boulevard, Bethlehem, PA. OSHA will investigate the incident.

If you have a question about workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania, call us at (877) 291-9675 for a no obligation, free consultation.

On Tuesday, October 25, 2011, two workers were injured at McConway & Torley, a Pittsburgh rail car parts factory. The injuries occurred due to an industrial furnace blast.

If you have a question about workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania, call us at (877) 291-9675 for a no obligation, free consultation.

The Social Security Administration is expected to announce today a 3.6% cost of living increase for those receiving benefits. This increase is the first in two years, and will provide further help to our Pennsylvania workers’ compensation clients. The increase will start in January, 2012.

If you are applying for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI or DIB), Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits up to 12 months before the Protected Filing Date (the date you applied). This assumes you are found to be disabled back to the filing date.

If you would like help in applying for Social Security Disability benefits in Pennsylvania, feel free to contact us for a free, no obligation consult at 1-877-291-9675.

On October 6, 2011, a natural gas well explosion in Wyalusing, PA, Terry Township, injured a contractor.  The injured worker was flown to Robert Packer Hospital, but his injuries are not life threatening.

If you have a question about workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania, call us at (877) 291-9675 for a no obligation, free consultation.

Under the PA Workers’ Compensation Act, the insurance company is entitled to find out if you are receiving income or certain benefits while you are on Pennsylvania workers’ compensation.  These benefits can include wages, unemployment compensation, social security, severance pay, or a pension.  If you begin earning wages or receiving any benefits, you must complete an Employee Report of Wages and Physical Condition and/or an Employee’s Report of Benefits for Offsets, and provide it to the insurance company within 30 days of receiving the wages or benefits.  If you are receiving Social Security Disability benefits, you should note they are not Old Age Social Security Retirement benefits so your compensation is not reduced. Link to article on site about SSD offset  You must also update the insurance company every 6 months by completing and returning the forms again.  If you do not send these forms to the insurance company, you could be charged with fraud.  (link:  http://www.pa-workers-comp-lawyers.com/fraud-in-pennsylvania-workers-compensation)

Every 6 months, the workers’ comp insurance company can also send you an Employee Verification of Employment, Self-Employment or Change in Physical Condition.  You must accurately complete the form and return it to the insurance company within thirty days of receipt.  If you do not complete and return the form within 30 days, your workers’ compensation benefits can be stopped until the form is returned.

If you have questions regarding your workers’ compensation benefits, it is important that you have an experienced Harrisburg workers’ compensation attorney on your side. Call Calhoon & Associates at 877-291-9675, for more information.

Under the PA Workers’ Compensation Act, a Notice of Temporary Compensation Payable (NTCP) is issued after a work injury, when the workers’ compensation insurance carrier is unsure whether an injury occurred or the injured worker is disabled, and needs more time to investigate.  When an NTCP is issued, the insurance company begins payment of workers’ compensation benefits.  However, after further investigation, that could change.  The insurance company has 90 days to continue their investigation.  During that 90 days, the insurer can change their mind and stop the payment of benefits by filing a Notice of Denial and Notice Stopping Temporary Compensation Payable (link:  http://www.pa-workers-comp-lawyers.com/what-to-do-when-your-workers%e2%80%99-compensation-claim-is-denied)  If the injured worker disagrees with this decision, you can file a claim petition.  If after 90 days a Notice of Denial and Notice Stopping Temporary Compensation is not sent to you, the NTCP changes to a Notice of Compensation Payable, and the insurance company continues to pay workers’ compensation benefits until one of the events in (link to article on web site called how long will my benefits  last) happens.

If you have questions regarding your workers’ compensation benefits, it is important that you have an experienced Harrisburg workers’ compensation attorney on your side. Call Calhoon & Associates at 877-291-9675, for more information.

At some point, the workers’ comp insurance company or nurse case manager will ask you to sign a medical authorization allowing them to speak to your doctor, or obtain records from your doctor.  (link:  http://www.pa-workers-comp-lawyers.com/todays-tip-for-pennsylvania-workers-compensation-the-adjuster-and-nurse-case-manager)  It  may be ok to sign the medical authorization after making some changes.  You can write on the medical authorization that:

• It is only good for a short length of time (state how long).
• That your doctor is not permitted to speak with the insurance company or nurse case manager unless you are present.
• That only certain medical records can be obtained.

If you have questions regarding your workers’ compensation benefits, it is important that you have an experienced Harrisburg workers’ compensation attorney on your side.

Under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, once an injured worker receives total disability benefits for 104 weeks, the insurer can request an Independent Rating Evaluation, or IRE.  When they do, you will receive an LIBC form called “Request for Designation of a Physician to Perform an Impairment Rating Evaluation”.  An independent doctor is assigned by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to perform an exam.  The doctor then uses the American Medical Association’s Guides to Evaluation of Permanent Impairment to determine the degree of your impairment.  If the doctor decides you have an impairment rating less than 50%, your benefit status is changed from total disability to partial disability.  This means that you can only receive wage loss benefits for 500 weeks.  Other factors can change how your wage loss benefits last (link:  http://www.pa-workers-comp-lawyers.com/how-long-will-my-pennsylvania-workers-compensation-wage-loss-benefits-last).  If the doctor determines that you have an impairment rating of more than 50%, your wage loss benefits can continue indefinitely.  You can challenge or appeal the IRE doctor’s impairment rating evaluation, but only during a certain period of time.

If you have questions regarding your workers’ compensation benefits, it is important that you have an experienced Harrisburg workers’ compensation attorney on your side. Call Calhoon & Associates at 877-291-9675, for more information.