Bucks County Lawyer for Workplace Fall Injuries
Falling down can cause devastating injuries, especially if you hit something on the way down or fall from high heights. Many jobs require workers to be up on poles, ladders, and scaffolding, and workplace falls are one of the top causes of serious injury.
Our attorneys help injured victims get Workers’ Compensation for their workplace falls, but the process is often challenging. Employers and insurance carriers may refuse coverage, and our lawyers will need to file before a judge to get your case heard in a fair venue. At the end, your settlement or ongoing benefits should be enough to cover your injuries.
For a free case evaluation, call Cardamone Law’s Certified Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at (267) 651-7945.
Types of Workplace Fall Injuries
Our attorneys can help victims in all sorts of injury cases get compensation for their lost wages and medical bills, but fall injuries are one of the most common, including these common fall accidents:
- Falls from ladders
- Slip and falls
- Trip and falls
- Scaffolding collapses
- Falls from cherry pickers and lifts
- Falls from vehicles
- Falls from catwalks
- Falls from roofs
- Forklift and vehicle rollovers.
Whether you were injured in a fall while working as a roofer, a construction worker, a lineman, or any other job, your case might be eligible for Workers’ Compensation.
Qualifying Workers and Injuries
As mentioned, roofers, construction workers, and utility workers might all be eligible, along with other employees. Even a store worker injured in a slip and fall or an IT worker tripping over cables could be eligible for Workers’ Compensation.
The first core requirement is that the worker is an “employee.” If they work under their employer/supervisor’s instructions and their time and place of work are controlled, they usually qualify. Independent contractors – which may include some construction and trades workers – might not be covered, so it is important to check with a lawyer.
Second, your injury needs to be work-related. Any of these accidents described above can happen within the scope of your work tasks and should qualify you for coverage.
Lastly, Workers’ Compensation covers any injury that leaves you disabled, whether totally or partially. As long as you face 7 or more days away from full-time work because of the injury, you should qualify.
Total disabilities pay wage-loss benefits for as long as you cannot work, while partial disabilities can pay up to 500 weeks.
What to Do After a Workplace Fall
After falling down at work, take these steps to get help, protect your claim, and get compensation:
Get Medical Care
Your injuries might be serious enough to call an ambulance and get emergency treatment. If an ambulance is not needed, you still seek immediate medical care and follow up with additional recommended treatment.
From there, you should save any records or communications from the doctor, as well as bills. This care should be covered through your case.
After that, make sure to continue with any treatment you are recommended. Missing appointments or refusing care could disqualify you from coverage.
Notify Your Employer
Your Workers’ Comp case begins by notifying your employer of the injury. Even if you think they saw it and know about it already, file notice with the proper supervisor or department and keep a record of that.
You must file within 21 days in most cases, with a final, absolute deadline of 120 days.
Employers usually deny claims within 21 days, though there is a possibility they could extend their deadline another 90 days by paying temporary benefits.
File a Claim Petition
Once your claim is denied, you get 2 years to contact an attorney and have our lawyers for workplace fall injuries file a Claim Petition.
This petition goes to a Workers’ Comp Judge (WCJ) – a special judge who only hears Workers’ Comp cases. They will need evidence – including required medical exams you need to attend – to determine the extent and work-relatedness of your injury.
Preventing Workplace Falls in Bucks County
OSHA rules and various workplace safety standards usually make fall injuries preventable. Employers should provide workers with the proper safety gear – such as harnesses and lines – to prevent falls. Training is also necessary so workers can plan ahead to avoid falls and know what to do in dangerous situations.
Work premises also have to be safe to avoid slip and fall and trip and fall injuries. Clean, dry floors, properly managed wires and cables, and proper spill responses help avoid these injuries.
All in all, Workers’ Comp makes your employer responsible for your injuries, regardless of what errors or hazards were present. Workers’ Comp can even cover accidents that you might have caused yourself, but it does not cover intentional injuries or accidents involving alcohol or drug use.
Common Injuries from Workplace Falls
Whether you are hurt in a fall from heights or a slip and fall, you could face serious injuries.
Many falls result in back injuries that could cause long-term pain or even paralysis. An injury to the lower back could make returning to full-time work difficult, while a more serious fall might result in paraplegia or quadriplegia.
Head injuries are also quite common. A traumatic brain injury could lead to life-long disabilities, while even a moderate concussion could cause post-concussive symptoms that make a return to full-time work impossible for months or years to come.
Many of these injuries are more likely if you hit something on the way down. Falling into dangerous or sharp materials can also cause serious cuts, scrapes, and impalement injuries that take some time to heal.
Lastly, falls often result in broken bones and soft tissue injuries, like sprains and strains. Breaking your back or neck might be rare, but breaking an arm, wrist, or collarbone is relatively common in workplace falls.
Call Our Workplace Fall Injury Attorneys in Bucks County Today
For a free case assessment, call Cardamone Law’s lawyers for workplace fall injuries at (267) 651-7945.
