Once you file a Pennsylvania workers’ compensation claim, the insurance company is entitled to any and all “relevant medical records” concerning your prior physical condition. The defense will dig into your past to determine whether or not you have sustained a similar injury to the same area of your body….
After an injury, the insurance company will attempt to contact you. They may appear to be interested and may even ask how you are doing, but do not be fooled. Each and every contact by the insurance company is designed to try to obtain free information to use against you….
Average Weekly Wage & Workers’ Compensation Your weekly workers’ compensation is based upon your “average weekly wage” at the time of the work injury. Under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, your average weekly wage is calculated by using the gross wages at the time-of-injury employer, without payroll deductions, that an…
Upon calculation of your average weekly wage, the following workers’ compensation rate schedule will determine your weekly compensation rate. 2011 Maximum: $858.00 $1,287.00 66 2/3% $ 643.51 __________ $643.50 $429.00 $476.67 __________ $476.66 or 90% Less
In the U.S., a disabling injury occurs every 1 second, a fatal injury occurs every 4 minutes. A work related fatal or death claim involves the payment to the survivors of an employee fatally injured in the course and scope of his or her employment. Survivors include surviving spouse, children,…
If you are receiving both Workers’ Compensation Benefits and Heart and Lung Act benefits, the general rule is that you should be receiving your Workers’ Compensation Benefits at your personal address directly from your Workers’ Compensation Carrier and not from your employer. There are, however, a few exceptions to this rule: If you…
With regard to injuries occurring on or after June 24, 1996, Section 306(a.2)(1) of the Workers’ Compensation Act enables a workers’ compensation insurance carrier to request an Impairment Rating Evaluation (“IRE”) when a Claimant has received one hundred four (104) weeks of total disability compensation. The Claimant is required to…
The amendments to the Workers’ Compensation Act include specific provisions to combat insurance fraud. Prior to the new amendments, the Act did not address the issue of fraud. Previously, fraud was addressed through the Criminal Code or through various health and legal ethical codes. For example, a person making a…
Maintain an Itemization of Claimant’s Medical Expenses form to keep a record of all medical expenses including medical bills and prescription receipts which you pay and all medical expenses which are paid by your major medical insurance carrier. Medical bills which have not been paid are also to be recorded…
Pension Benefits & Workers’ Compensation If an injured worker involuntarily retires due to a work injury, and he or she has participated in his time of injury employer’s pension program and receives pension payments, in some situations, the employer will be able to take an offset or credit for those pension…
