Jeffrey Pribanic is an Experienced Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Pittsburgh, PA

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Workers Compensation Facts

Frequently Asked Questions About Workers’ Compensation:

Q: How long do most workers compensation settlements take?

Typically around 12 to 18 months. Workers’ compensation has its own court system with its own set of workers’ compensation requirements and rules. Pribanic & Pribanic Workers’ Compensation attorneys have the experience to navigate that system. But that is not always the end of the story. In the right situations, a claim can also be made against other corporations or individuals that caused the harm. Jeffrey Pribanic and his team can help you with all aspects of your workers’ compensation claim and necessary appeals.

DENIED CLAIMS: SECURING WORKMAN’S COMPENSATION

Pittsburgh Workers’ Compensation: A Denied Claim

FAQ: What are the Possible Solutions to a Denied Claim?

Fear of claim denial was a key factor in motivating employees to consult and hire an attorney. When a claim manager was discouraging or there was a delay in payments, consulting an attorney was generally beneficial.

Attorney representation was also frequently sought when employees did not believe that their employers were taking their injuries seriously. Employees often fear being fired due to their injury since they cannot perform up to their full potential. Debilitating lower back injuries may be costly and were another specific injury that prompted many injured employees to seek the counsel of an experienced advocate.

A workplace injury can have lifetime consequences. In an ideal world, employers would pay all costs for workplace injuries; unfortunately, this is not always the case.

If you have suffered a workplace injury, contact a workers’ compensation attorney. The attorney will ensure rights are protected and assist with obtaining any applicable compensation.

“ON THE JOB” INJURIES FOR WORKERS’ COMP 

FAQ: What are the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Requirements?

Workers’ compensation laws today provide employees benefits in the event they suffer from a “work-related” injury and can’t work. This requirement is pretty straightforward to most people. When employees are working and get injured they receive workers’ compensation benefits — end of story, right? Not quite. The meaning behind working “on the job” becomes a bit more complex when, for instance, employees are injured while on their lunch breaks, or while they are driving to and from work. Are these employees “working” for purposes of workers’ comp benefits?

FAQ: What counts as a “work related” injury for workers’ compensation purposes?

Essentially, a “work-related” injury is an injury that happens when employees are performing an activity in the scope of their employment or performing an activity on behalf of or in the interest of their employers.

For instance, an individual who develops carpal tunnel syndrome due to long hours typing at a keyboard at work has a “work-related” injury. In another example, a worker who sprains his or her ankle climbing off of a ladder at work has an “on the job”‘ work injury.

Both of these examples are pretty straightforward, but there are other situations that are not.

Injured while driving to work

A common example involves employees who are injured while driving company owned trucks or vehicles. As long as employees are performing job activities on behalf of their employers, it doesn’t matter if they are on company premises. The law says that employees don’t have to be injured at the main location of their employer to qualify for workers’ comp benefits.

So what about employees who are traveling to and from work? Some argue that driving to and from work is an activity that does in fact further the interests of an employer, so it should be covered under workers’ compensation if an injury occurs.

Unfortunately, courts have ruled otherwise. Driving to and from work isn’t classified as “work-related” and doesn’t further a company interest so if employees are injured during this time, they are not under the blanket of the workers’ compensation system.

DEATH CLAIMS

In Pennsylvania, if a worker is killed on the job, surviving family members are eligible to receive workers’ compensation death benefits. Employers and their insurance providers, however, do not always pay death benefits freely. If you have lost a loved one to a fatal workplace accident, you may have to fight for your compensation. This is where an experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you through the death claim requirements. At Pribanic & Pribanic, our attorneys have extensive experience handling workers’ comp death claims for clients from the Pittsburgh area, throughout western Pennsylvania and nationwide. We are committed to helping you and your family obtain fair and just compensation.

FAQ: What is the Workers’ Compensation Death Claims Process?

Family members eligible to receive death benefits after the loss of a loved one are spouses, minor children, and dependent children or parents. In order to be eligible, the fatal work injury must have occurred due to an injury sustained on the job or due to a related occupational illness. If you are eligible to obtain death benefits, your compensation will include:

• Funeral expenses

• Weekly payments

The amount of benefits depends upon a number of factors, including the average weekly income of the deceased worker. Our Pittsburgh personal injury lawyers can help you through all aspects of the workers’ compensation death claim process, including settlement negotiation, any necessary hearings and appeals, and ensuring your benefits are accurately calculated.

We understand the financial and emotional turmoil you face and are committed to helping you obtain the financial compensation you need to make it through this difficult time.