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Even when you have access to workers’ compensation coverage through your employer, they will not do all the work of filing a workers’ compensation claim for you after you get hurt or sick on the job. While the process is not quite as involved as it is in some other states, you must still follow several steps to understand how to apply for workers’ compensation in Bala Cynwyd or anywhere else in the state.
Here is a brief overview of what you will need to do to get your claim moving and any additional steps you may need to take if your employer’s insurance company disputes or denies your claim. At every stage of this process, an experienced workers’ compensation attorney from Lowenthal & Abrams can give you custom-tailored advice and support as you pursue a positive result from your request.
Notify a Supervisor or Manager About the Injury
The first step in the workers’ compensation application process for a worker in Bala Cynwyd is informing their immediate supervisor that they have sustained an injury or contracted an illness during their regular job duties. Failing to do this within 21 days of first discovering the injury or illness will likely result in the injured worker missing out on benefits they otherwise would have been entitled to. Waiting longer than 120 days will almost always lead to their claim being rejected and them not getting compensation.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
After notifying their Bala Cynwyd employer, an injured or ill worker should seek a formal diagnosis and treatment of their condition from a licensed healthcare provider as the next portion of the process for workers’ compensation. If the injured worker’s employer has made a list of specific doctors approved to treat work-related conditions, the worker must seek treatment from one of those doctors for the first 90 days after initially sustaining harm. After that time, they can generally switch to a doctor.
Wait for the Employer To Submit an Injury Report
Once an employer in Bala Cynwyd has been notified that one of their workers sustained a job-related injury or illness, that employer must complete a First Report of Injury form and submit it to both the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers’ Compensation and their workers’ compensation insurance provider. Once the insurance company receives notice of a claim from a policyholder, it has 21 days to approve the claim, deny it, or notify the injured worker that their claim is temporarily denied and is pending an investigation that will last no more than 90 days.
A Bala Cynwyd Attorney Can Help You Understand How to Apply for a Workers’ Compensation Claim
When someone who is applying for workers’ compensation has their claim partially or fully denied, they have a maximum of three years after their injury—instead of after they receive their denial—to complete a Claim Petition for Workers’ Compensation and submit it to the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. There may be multiple stages to the claims process after this point, depending on how resistant the insurance company is to accepting the claim, including hearings before workers’ compensation judges, mediation conferences, and even a formal appeal.
No matter what, you will want to have a skilled attorney from Lowenthal & Abrams by your side throughout this process to ensure that avoidable errors and omissions do not prevent you from getting the restitution you need. Call our firm today to learn how to apply for workers’ compensation in Bala Cynwyd and to schedule a consultation.
