Workplace Accidents and Workers’ Compensation Wage-Loss

Workers in Altoona and the surrounding areas of Pennsylvania could find themselves victimized by workplace accidents without warning. This applies to any kind of job whether it is one that is considered risky or one that is relatively sedentary and safe. Accidents and injuries do not discriminate, and one of the biggest issues after suffering injuries on the job is making ends meet. Fortunately, there are workers’ compensation benefits. It is important, however, for workers to understand various aspects of workers’ compensation such as wage-loss payments and when they are made.

When a worker is injured and disabled and they are unable to work for more than seven calendar days, he or she will be eligible for payments. That will include weekends even if the person did not regularly work for seven consecutive days. The injured worker will begin getting payments for time lost on the eighth day. After there have been 14 days of missed work, the worker will get the first week’s payment retroactively. Workers will generally get their first payment within 21 days of being out of work. This assumes that the claim is made in a timely fashion and the insurer accepts it. The checks will subsequently come at regular intervals.

There will be up to 90 days in which temporary compensation payments can be made. This is true whether the claim had or had not been accepted by the employer or the insurer. For people who are facing an employer or an insurer that says the workers’ compensation will not be paid beyond 90 days or if the claim is denied entirely, there is an opportunity to have a hearing before the Office of Adjudication to try and get the benefits.

While workers’ compensation is meant to help injured workers stay afloat and get treatment while they are out, there are often disputes regarding claims. When seeking wage-loss benefits through workers’ compensation and having any problem getting the payments, whether it is a disagreement as to how long the worker should be out or an outright denial, a law firm that is experienced in assisting workers who have been hurt in workplace accidents should be called for representation in the case. These benefits can be very valuable and sometimes necessary, making it vital to understand the process to obtain them.