If you are reading this without any knowledge of workers’ compensation laws in Levittown, you are not alone. Most workers do not know the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation laws. Most workers who sustain work injuries are not prepared for the next steps. In fact, most injured workers do not know what workers’ compensation is.
So, what is it? Workers’ compensation is an insurance policy the Employer pays the premiums for to cover employees’ injuries sustained on the job. Workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania covers lost wages for any time out of work due to the injury and any medical bills incurred treating the injury. Workers’ compensation was created to help injured workers pay their bills and recover from their injuries so they can get back to work.
In Levittown, and Pennsylvania in general, all employers are legally required to carry workers’ compensation policies for their employees. However, that does not mean that all employers are following the legal requirements. When interviewing for a job, you should ask your potential employer if they carry workers’ compensation insurance. If you are hurt on the job, and the employer does not carry workers’ compensation insurance, you are going to have a difficult time obtaining the wage loss and medical benefits you need.
If you would like to search to see if your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance, you can search on the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry website here:
It is simple to qualify for workers’ compensation in Levittown (and the rest of Pennsylvania). First, you must be an employee of the employer. You can work as a part-time or full-time employee; you just must be considered an employee. If you work as an independent contractor, you will not be covered under the workers’ compensation policy. If you are still in training or in the probationary period before permanent hire, you may not qualify for workers’ compensation if you are injured before you are officially hired by the employer. This would be dependent on the language in the contract you signed or on the terms established in your hiring interview.
If you are found to be an employee, the next step is to determine if you are in the course and scope of your employment when you are injured. It is simple to think of it this way: if you are on the clock or furthering the business interest of your employer when you are hurt, you will qualify. If you have clocked out for lunch and are running a personal errand to the grocery store when you are injured, you are not in the course and scope of your employment and will not qualify for workers’ compensation. Certain instances are a little trickier, like injuries sustained during a work event not during normal work hours or injuries sustained in parking lots before or after work shifts. Those require a detailed analysis to determine if the injured worker was in the course and scope to qualify for benefits.
There is no special application for workers’ compensation. The responsibility of the injured worker is to report that you were injured at work as soon as possible to your employer. It is then on the employer to report it to their insurance carrier. An employer may ask you to fill out an injury report so that they may submit it to the insurance carrier. It is best to document that you did report the injury to your employer in case any issues arise in the future. Once the injured worker has properly reported the injury, the worker has done what is required to “apply” for workers’ compensation.
Call a local lawyer in Levittown. Our office offers free initial consultations when you can speak directly with a compassionate lawyer about your claim. Our knowledgeable lawyers help explain the workers’ compensation system and what to expect from it without pressuring you into hiring our firm. We are here to help injured workers navigate the workers’ compensation murky waters.
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