Should you Trust an Insurance Company With Your Claim ?
If you have been injured on the job, your world could be turned upside-down in a matter of seconds. In addition to physical pain, emotional stress, and a whirlwind of confusion, you will be asked to trust insurance companies—those same companies who have the goal of yielding profits—to handle all the costs associated with your recovery.
Sadly, insurance companies genuinely lack a true understanding of what recovery entails. They have a very clear idea about the costs associated with recovery, and because of that clear understanding, they know how to save money. Sadly, these savings most often come at the expense of other people’s well being—especially those who have been injured.
The insurance companies will want to see you back to work or to see your claim expire in the shortest amount of time conceivable so that they can quit paying the bills associated with your work related accident. In addition, they will offer subpar treatment options in order to defer costs.
This is not to say that every insurance company will take a frugal approach to your recovery, but it is meant to show you that you are gambling with the thought of finding that diamond in the rough. After you have suffered an injury at work, you have two choices:
Trust the insurance companies or hire the right Philadelphia workmen’s compensation attorney.
The latter is your best bet if you want to secure your family’s financial stability in the aftermath of your work related injury. You will need time to appropriately recover. You will need adequate care to assure that your recovery is both timely and successful. And most importantly, you will need someone on your side to assure that these things happen.
Understanding Workmen’s Compensation Claims
The way that a Philadelphia workmen’s compensation claim is reported up through its approval or denial is a very complicated process. There is a lot of red tape, and some very strict guidelines that injured workers must follow to ensure that the claim is processed, and the appropriate funds are paid.
If you’ve been hurt on the job, it is in your best interest to hire someone who is familiar with the proper procedure immediately. If you do not follow protocol, which includes deadlines as short as 21 days for filing, you risk losing money that is not only rightfully yours, but money you will need to pay your bills while you recover. Furthermore, Philadelphia workmen’s compensation claims are often denied. Hiring representation that understands the appeal process can help to ensure you that you are properly compensated for your time off of work.
Philadelphia Workmen’s Compensation Law
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has done extensive research with regard to workplace injuries. This research has led to many safety initiatives across the workplace. There is no doubt that safety precautions are in place, and both employers and workers do not want to see accidents happen. Sadly, mishaps do occur, and when they do, victims need a clear understanding of the many different types of Philadelphia workmen’s compensation claims as well as what these claims entitle them to. The right legal team can make all of the confusing legal speak easy for you to understand. Simply put, the Pennsylvania Workmen’s Compensation Act has been put in place to protect employees if they are hurt at work. In the event that you suffer from any type of workplace injury, you are entitled to “wage loss compensation” until you can return to work. There are several types of workmen’s compensation claims that you can file in Philadelphia. These benefits include:
- Medical benefits
- Lost wage benefits
- Lump sum settlements
- Specific loss benefits
- Death and dependence claims
An attorney who understand how you will best benefit from the different types of workmen’s compensation as well as the timeline for filing such settlements in Philadelphia can assure you get everything you need to fully recover.
What You Need to Know if You Were Injured at Work in Philadelphia If you are hurt at work, your employer is required to pay your medical bills. While this may sound like a cut and dry solution to your injury costs, what you, as a victim, need to understand your employer is no longer on your side. His insurance company will dictate how all funding is spent, and it may not cover the doctors you wish to visit. Instead, the insurance company will try to control where you go in order to keep down its own cost.
Your medical bills have no bearing on your relationship with your employer as he too must follow what the insurance company dictates. If you’ve dealt with insurance companies in the past, you understand that they have protocol and procedures, and just like you cannot negotiate with them, neither can your employer.
Even if your employer wants to make sure that you get everything you want, he can’t. The insurance companies control all payments. To complicate matters, there is the issue of your wages. While you are off work, insurance companies are required to pay lost wages.
Again, without the help of legal representation, they could easily cut your wages before you have fully recovered. This puts you in a position to either go into debt trying to stay ahead of your bills or to return to work prematurely and risk compromising your recovery. Hiring an attorney to see to it that your needs are met is not a metaphorical slap in the face to your employer. Furthermore, it should make you feel as if you are being disloyal to your company or your boss.
The injury you suffered is not in his hands—it is in the hands of insurance companies, and the best people to deal with insurance companies are attorneys. It’s as simple as that. Remember, you need someone who you can trust to advocate for your financial stability while you recover from your work related injury. Your advocate should be someone who works solely for your, not for an insurance company.