© Copyright Acquisition International 2024 - All Rights Reserved.

Article Image - How Much Is a Workers’ Comp Claim Worth in Philadelphia?
Posted 22nd July 2022

How Much Is a Workers’ Comp Claim Worth in Philadelphia?

How Much Is a Workers’ Comp Claim Worth in Philadelphia? A workplace injury can have devastating consequences, particularly if you’re unable to return to work swiftly or you sustain long-term damage. Fortunately, most employees in Philadelphia are eligible to claim workers’ compensation if they get hurt while performing their duties or develop an occupational illness, […]

Mouse Scroll AnimationScroll to keep reading

Let us help promote your business to a wider following.

How Much Is a Workers’ Comp Claim Worth in Philadelphia?

How Much Is a Workers’ Comp Claim Worth in Philadelphia?

A workplace injury can have devastating consequences, particularly if you’re unable to return to work swiftly or you sustain long-term damage. Fortunately, most employees in Philadelphia are eligible to claim workers’ compensation if they get hurt while performing their duties or develop an occupational illness, but how much are you entitled to?

What Can You Claim For?

A workers’ compensation claim can be made up of many components. Most claimants want to obtain compensation for lost wages, but your claim may include specific benefits, depending on the type of injury you’ve sustained. Alternatively, a victim’s family may be eligible to claim death benefits if an employee dies due to a workplace illness or injury.

When workers’ comp is used to replace lost wages caused by injury or illness, the maximum weekly benefit available to Philadelphia employees is $1,205, following an increase in January 2022. However, the amount you’ll receive will depend on your earnings. If you earn up to $600.55 per week, for example, you may be entitled to 90% of your average weekly wage in workers’ comp benefits.

Total vs Partial Disability

To determine what type of workers’ comp benefits you’re entitled to, you’ll be asked to undergo an Impairment Rating Evaluation (IRE). This requires your doctors to assess the extent of your disability, based on the work-related injuries or illness you’ve experienced. If an employee is impaired by 35% or more due to a work-related illness or injury, they are deemed to have a ‘total disability’, while less than 35% impairment equates to ‘partial disability’.

If you’re diagnosed with a ‘total disability’, this means that you are unable to work at all, while a ‘partial disability’ may mean that you’re unable to return to your regular role but that you are able to work in some capacity.

Generally, employees can receive partial disability benefits for up to 500 weeks, which can help to prevent financial loss due to a change in job role. During this time, you can be reassessed and be given total disability status, if your injuries or illness warrant it. Conversely, you might initially be assessed as having a total disability and subsequently be re-categorized as partially disabled, depending on how you recover from your workplace injuries.

Temporary vs Permanent Disability

Another factor that affects your workplace compensation claim is whether the disability arising from your injury is temporary or permanent. A temporary disability usually entitles you to claim workers’ compensation for up to 90 days, while a permanent disability allows you to claim workers’ comp for an extended time.

A permanent partial disability enables you to claim benefits for up to 500 weeks, while a permanent total disability may mean you’re eligible to receive workers’ comp benefits for the rest of your life.

A damaged ligament caused by slipping on a wet floor may heal within a matter of weeks with the right treatment, therefore, it is likely to be deemed a temporary disability. However, life-changing or chronic injuries, such as amputations or loss of feeling, are more likely to be deemed permanent.

How Easy Is It to Obtain Workers’ Compensation?

As you can see, claiming workers’ compensation can be complicated, particularly as you need to prove what type of disability you’re experiencing because of your workplace injuries. Unfortunately, obtaining the compensation you’re entitled to can be made more difficult due to the fact that insurance companies will try to devalue your claim.

The insurer may argue that you should be reassessed as having a partial disability when you have a total disability to limit the amount of time you can receive benefits, for example. Alternatively, your claim could be denied due to a form that’s been submitted incorrectly or a missed deadline.

Sadly, a significant number of people miss out on the workers’ comp they’re entitled to, simply because the system is so complex. By working with a Philadelphia workers’ comp lawyer, however, you can increase your chances of successfully obtaining compensation and maximize your benefits too.

How Can a Workers’ Comp Attorney Help?

When you seek help from a workers’ compensation attorney in Philadelphia, they will ensure that your injuries are assessed fairly and that your claim isn’t being devalued by insurers. Similarly, if you are denied workers’ comp benefits, your lawyer may be able to help you file an appeal and have the decision overturned. From hiring medical experts to support your claim to meeting strict procedural requirements, your workers’ comp attorney will handle every aspect of the claims process.

Furthermore, workers’ comp lawyers will investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident to determine who is liable for the harm you’ve suffered. If your employer caused your injuries intentionally or recklessly, for example, you may be able to take legal action against them and increase the amount of compensation you’re entitled to. Alternatively, if a third party was negligent and this contributed to your injuries, you may be eligible to seek compensation from them too.

Who Can Claim Workers’ Comp in Philadelphia?

According to the latest statistics from the Bureau of Labor, more than 137,000 people sustained workplace injuries and illnesses in Pennsylvania in 2020 and more than 83,000 of these incidents resulted in days away from work, job restrictions, or job transfers. In 2021, however, the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation and Workplace Safety Annual Report showed an increase of 9.2%, taking the total up to 161,592 work-related illness and injuries cases in the state.

Fortunately, virtually all employers in Pennsylvania are required to provide workers’ comp coverage, which means that the vast majority of workers in Philadelphia are eligible to claim workers’ comp benefits if they sustain a workplace injury.

While recovering from an unexpected workplace injury or occupational illness is challenging enough, working with workers’ comp attorneys can help to relieve unnecessary stress during this time and enable you to access the financial support you’re entitled to.

Categories: News


You Might Also Like
Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
As TNT Express Takeover Completes, What Happens to ‘Ugly Freight’?
M&A
25/05/2016As TNT Express Takeover Completes, What Happens to ‘Ugly Freight’?

As the FedEx-TNT merger concludes, the international parcel broker ParcelHero warns the takeover could mean increased costs and transit times for large and heavy items.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Strategic Partnership and Optional Merger Agreement to Develop Antibody Drug Conjugates and Bi-Speci
M&A
08/01/2016Strategic Partnership and Optional Merger Agreement to Develop Antibody Drug Conjugates and Bi-Speci

Zymeworks Inc. and Kairos Therapeutics Inc., both privately-held biotech companies headquartered in Vancouver, announced today they have entered into a strategic partnership.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Key Strategies For Successful Mortgage Branch Management
Finance
19/01/2024Key Strategies For Successful Mortgage Branch Management

Running a profitable mortgage branch is no small feat. As a branch manager, you juggle a lot - from attracting and retaining superstar loan officers to streamlining operations and boosting productivity.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
CFOs Believe the Global Economy is Improving
Strategy
29/05/2015CFOs Believe the Global Economy is Improving

Amid an improving global economy, the market for deals remains healthy, but CFOs’ outlook on M&A has leveled off somewhat since 2014.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Simplified Skype for Business in Traditional Video Conferencing Environments
Innovation
09/11/2015Simplified Skype for Business in Traditional Video Conferencing Environments

Cyviz, a leader in visual collaboration and command and control systems, today announced that the company has developed a more intuitive, user-friendly way to incorporate the use of Microsoft’s Skype for Business (formerly Lync) in traditional video conferen

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
What is Regulatory Hosting and How Does it Work?
Finance
29/07/2021What is Regulatory Hosting and How Does it Work?

Regulatory hosting enables businesses to carry out regulated activities without directly being FCA approved. We go into more detail in this article.

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
November Winners’ Directory
Finance
02/12/2016November Winners’ Directory

November Winners’ Directory

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Push the Boat out  – Deliver the Impossible!
Innovation
26/06/2017Push the Boat out – Deliver the Impossible!

Since it’s dawn in 2001, Three Lines Shipping L.L.C (TLS) has been on a constant growth path by continuous learning and improvising how they approach their work. As recipient of the Arabian Excellence Awards 2017 from the UAE, we invited Rafeeq.K. K to profi

Read Full PostRead - Eye Icon
Marsh & McLennan Agency Acquires J. Smith Lanier & Co
Finance
07/03/2017Marsh & McLennan Agency Acquires J. Smith Lanier & Co

Marsh & McLennan Agency LLC (MMA), the middle market agency subsidiary of Marsh, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire J. Smith Lanier & Co. (JSL), one of the nation’s largest, privately held insurance brokerage firms. Terms of



Our Trusted Brands

Acquisition International is a flagship brand of AI Global Media. AI Global Media is a B2B enterprise and are committed to creating engaging content allowing businesses to market their services to a larger global audience. We have 14 unique brands, each of which serves a specific industry or region. Each brand covers the latest news in its sector and publishes a digital magazine and newsletter which is read by a global audience.

Arrow