Breinigsville Workers’ Comp Attorney for Injured Amazon Workers

Working at Amazon often means flexible hours, decent wages, and a potential for growth within the company.  It can also mean a lot of repetitive tasks and risks of injury.

If you were injured while working for Amazon in Breinigsville, our lawyers can help you file a Workers’ Comp claim to get you the benefits you need for medical care and lost earnings.  These claims are often confusing, and insurance carriers for big companies like Amazon often try to deny claims and save money.  However, our attorneys can stand up for workers and fight to get their claims paid or settled.

Call Cardamone Law at (267) 651-7945 for help from our Certified Breinigsville, PA Workers’ Compensation Specialists today.

Which Amazon Workers Are Covered by Workers’ Comp in Breinigsville?

Amazon has a lot of workers in and around Breinigsville.  ABE2 and ABE3 are Amazon sites located right in Trexlertown/Breinigsville, with thousands of workers at those locations.  Even more Amazon workers do their jobs across the Lehigh Valley.  It is important to understand which of these workers are covered and which might not be.

The rules for Workers’ Compensation require employers to cover most “employees” in case of injury.  This definition helps our Workers’ Comp attorneys for injured Amazon workers get most workers covered, but it does typically exclude independent contractors.

Warehouse Workers

Most warehouse workers are supposed to be covered as employees.  This means they should be able to get Workers’ Comp for all kinds of injuries, from lifting and carrying injuries to forklift accidents to heat-related injuries and more.

Fulfillment Workers

People who pick orders, package them up, and get them sorted do a lot of repetitive tasks.  Their typical day also includes lifting and carrying, which is a common cause of back injuries.  Other injuries should also be covered for these workers.

Loaders

Again, lifting and carrying injuries are going to be a prime injury for loaders.  As long as you are an employee of Amazon, then you should be covered as a loader, too.

Drivers and Package Handlers

Drivers are the primary type of worker that are usually carved out of coverage.  Amazon tends to hire its drivers as independent contractors, meaning that Amazon is not required to give them Workers’ Compensation insurance.  However, many drivers and package handlers actually work for third-party delivery companies that contract with Amazon.  If you work for one of these companies, then you might not be an Amazon employee, but you might have Workers’ Comp coverage through the delivery company you work for directly.

Office Workers

Not every Amazon warehouse and fulfillment center job involves working directly with packages and orders.  Trainers, office staff, and other workers could be injured on the job as well, and they should be covered by Workers’ Comp, too.

Custodial/Maintenance Staff

Again, the hiring of custodial or maintenance staff could throw a wrench into whether you are covered by Amazon or not.  If you clean or maintain the warehouses or other facilities as direct employees of Amazon, then their Workers’ Comp should cover you.  If you work as a contractor, then they might not cover you.  However, if you work as an employee for a third-party contractor, then that company should cover you instead of Amazon.

Many specialists and engineers work regionally or might not be settled at Breinigsville facilities specially.  If you work across the area, the rules are the same throughout Pennsylvania: Amazon should cover its employees’ injuries.

What Injuries Are Covered for Amazon Workers Hurt at Work in Breinigsville, PA?

If you are an employee and you get hurt on the job, then the injury should be covered no matter what kind of injury it is.  The primary qualification for coverage is simply that the injury was work-related, meaning that all kinds of injuries can be covered.

This typically means that any lifting/carrying injuries or other back injuries should get coverage, being one of the most common injuries for warehouse workers.  Injuries from forklifts, trucks, and other vehicles should also be covered, whether the person driving was you, another coworker, or an outside contractor/driver.  Other repetitive stress injuries should also be covered, as should cuts from package and other common injuries.  Even injuries that come from things like workplace violence are supposed to be covered in many cases.

There are some limits on this, however.

First, injuries involving work-acquired health conditions might be harder to cover because the connection to your work tasks needs to be proven before you can get coverage.  Our attorneys can help you prove this connection.

Second, injuries are not covered if you caused yourself injuries intentionally or if you injured yourself because you were drunk, high, or doing something illegal.

Lastly, injuries should have emergency medical care covered regardless of whether the injury keeps you from working, but you only get lost wages if the injury keeps you out of work for more than 7 days.

What Does Workers’ Comp Pay for Injured Amazon Workers in Breinigsville?

Injured Amazon workers should be entitled to Workers’ Comp coverage for their medical bills and a portion of their lost wages.  Medical bills are typically paid in full, while lost earnings are covered at a specific rate.

Medical bills should be covered for emergency care as well as ongoing care needs and follow-up appointments.  The doctor you can use in the first 90 days might be restricted, but there are a lot of exceptions to these requirements.  Moreover, choice of doctor is typically permitted after 90 days.

Lost earnings are typically covered at 66 2/3% of your average weekly wage before the injury.  If you can work part-time with your injury, you usually receive 2/3 of the difference between your new and old wage.  If you are a low-wage worker, you might actually receive up to 90% of your average wage instead of the 66 2/3% limit.

Call Our Workers’ Comp Lawyers for Amazon Workers in Breinigsville Today

Our Workers’ Compensation lawyers for injured Amazon workers are available at (267) 651-7945 for a free case assessment today.