Pittsburgh Workers’ Compensation Benefits/Claims Lawyers

Experienced Western Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Help Injured Workers File Claims for Benefits

When you are injured on the job or develop an illness due to something you were exposed to at work, your employer should ideally accept liability for your illness or injury and begin paying you workers’ compensation benefits pursuant to Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation law. However, in some cases, your employer may deny liability for your illness or injury or may seek to suspend or terminate your benefits after claiming that you are not eligible for benefits or that you have recovered from your illness or injury. When this happens, you may be required to file a claim petition with the state to seek a hearing to prove that you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.  Filing and pursuing a workers’ compensation claim is both factually and legally complex. It is critical that you have the assistance of an experienced workers’ compensation law firm. Contact Goodrich & Geist, P.C. today to schedule a consultation with one of our knowledgeable Pittsburgh workers’ compensation benefits/claims lawyers.

What Is Involved with Filing a Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Asserting a claim for workers’ compensation benefits in Western Pennsylvania begins with promptly informing your supervisor or employer that you have suffered a work-related injury or illness. You must advise your employer that you suffered an injury or illness in the course of your employment; if you were injured in a work-related accident, you must also provide your employer with notice of the date and place of your injury. If you lose a day, shift, or turn of work, your employer is required to further report your injury to the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. You have 120 days from the date of your injury to provide your employer with notice of your claim.

Your employer may choose to accept liability for your injury or illness and begin paying you workers’ compensation benefits. However, if your employer denies liability for your injury or illness or seeks to terminate benefits it is paying to you, you will be required to file a claim petition with the bureau to establish your employer’s liability and the amount of benefits that you are entitled to. You have three years from the date of injury, or 300 weeks from the last day of employment for a work-related illness, to file a claim petition with the bureau. If you are filing a petition from the termination of benefits, you have three years from the date of your most recent benefits check; if your petition is challenging the suspension of benefits, you have 500 weeks from the date of your employer’s suspension of benefits. Your claim petition will be assigned to a workers’ compensation judge, who will decide your petition after holding a hearing at which you and your employer will be allowed to present evidence and testimony in support of your respective positions. 

How Our Pittsburgh Attorneys Can Help You File Your Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits

If you retain Goodrich & Geist, P.C. to represent you in your claim for workers’ compensation benefits, our firm can help ensure that all notices and claim petitions are timely filed so that you do not lose your eligibility to receive benefits. We ensure that your claim is thoroughly investigated, collecting all evidence related to your work-related accident or exposure to toxic substances or infectious diseases to prove that your illness or injury is work-related. We will also collect your medical records and consult with medical and vocational experts to persuasively advocate for your entitlement to various forms of workers’ compensation benefits, including medical benefits, wage replacement, and disability benefits. 

If you have to file a claim petition because your employer has denied liability for your work-related illness or injury or has suspended or terminated your workers’ compensation benefits, our attorneys will ensure that your claim petition is properly completed and filed with the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, along with all supporting documentation to prove your entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits.

Once your claim petition is filed with the bureau, our attorneys can advise you as to whether to pursue alternative dispute resolution with the workers’ compensation judge, which can take the form of mediation, settlement conference, or informal conference administered by the WC. If you choose to proceed with an adjudicatory hearing before the WC, we will advocate on your behalf to obtain a decision in your favor. Our firm is also prepared to appeal an adverse decision to the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board and, if necessary, to file an appeal to the courts. 

Contact Goodrich & Geist, P.C. Today to Learn More About the Process of Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Pittsburgh

If you or a loved one have suffered a work-related illness or injury and your employer has denied liability, or if you or your loved one’s employer has suspended or terminated payment of workers’ compensation benefits, you need a dedicated, experienced law firm who will fight to get you the benefits you need and deserve. Contact Goodrich & Geist, P.C. today to schedule a free consultation with one of our knowledgeable Pittsburgh workers’ compensation attorneys to learn more about the process of filing a workers’ compensation claim and to learn more about how our firm can help you obtain the benefits you are entitled to under the law.