Radiologists understand that they are working with potentially dangerous radiation, but those risks are minimized by proper shielding and practices. Nonetheless, injuries and illness from radiation or from other random accidents can happen at work.
If you were hurt while working as a radiologist, you could be covered under your employer’s Workers’ Compensation. Workers’ Comp is not just for physical labor jobs, and it can cover your lost wages, medical care costs, and more if you were hurt because of work conditions or work tasks.
For a free review of your potential case, call Cardamone Law’s Workers’ Comp lawyers for radiologists at Cardamone Law at (267) 651-7945.
What Workers Are Covered?
All kinds of hospital and health workers are covered under Workers’ Comp, including many radiologists. Your employer is required to carry Workers’ Comp insurance to cover you and other employees, but only if you count as an “employee.”
Radiologists working as hospital employees or employees of a practice should be covered. However, private practice doctors might be treated as independent contractors and would have to prove that status is incorrect to get coverage under a hospital or radiology center’s Workers’ Comp.
Other workers can also claim compensation for work-related injuries through Workers’ Comp, including nurses, orderlies, and more.
What Injuries Are Covered?
Workers’ Compensation is meant to cover all work-related injuries and occupational illnesses.
Work-Relatedness
Injuries are “work-related” if they occurred because of work conditions or happened in the course of carrying out work duties. This means that injuries caused by radiation would likely be covered.
Disability
Claims can result in medical care costs as long as the injury was work-related, but wage-loss benefits are only paid in cases where the injury results in at least 7 days of lost work because of the injury. The first 7 days of lost wages are not paid unless you are disabled beyond 14 days.
Usually, it requires doctors’ reports and diagnoses to show that your injury is indeed disabling.
Examples
Radiation injuries almost certainly count, given that exposure to radiation is something that happens as part of your job. Radiologists have a higher risk of this exposure, and things like cancer would often be covered, with potential presumptions that your cancer is caused by work-related radiation exposure.
However, other simple injuries and illnesses acquired in the course of your job could also be covered:
- Injuries lifting or moving patients
- Injuries from moving machinery or parts
- Slip and falls and trip and falls at work
- Assault by patients.
How to File a Claim
Workers’ Comp claims begin with getting medical care to treat and document your injuries. Then, you file notice with your employer within 21 days of the accident.
This begins the claim process when your employer then files a claim with their Workers’ Comp carrier. They must accept or deny the claim within 21 days of your notice, with the possibility of accepting temporarily and extending their decision-making period another 90 days.
Once they reject you, you can file a Claim Petition with the state to start a formal claim. These must be filed within 3 years and usually require the help of an attorney, given the complex information required. Then the case is assigned to a Workers’ Comp Judge (WCJ) who will decide the case.
Workers’ Comp Hearings vs. Lawsuits
The process of a Workers’ Comp claim is a bit different from a lawsuit, though lawsuits might also be available:
Workers’ Comp Process
Claims are decided by a Workers’ Comp Judge without help from a jury. The WCJ administers the case, assigns time for evidence collection, and accepts all doctors’ reports and depositions in a Workers’ Comp hearing. Then they render their decision.
Lawsuit Process
If you sue, you can take the case before a judge and jury and get damages after proving the defendant was at fault. Typically, you cannot sue your employer for work-related injuries, so you might need to find a dangerous equipment manufacturer or other third-party the case can be filed against.
FAQs for Workers’ Compensation Claims for Radiologists
What Are the Differences Between Workers’ Comp and Lawsuits?
Lawsuits can provide damages that Workers’ Comp does not pay, such as pain and suffering. Workers’ Comp is also limited to around 2/3 of your lost wages, though radiologists making over $2,091 per week (for 2026 claims) are capped at $1,394 per week in wage-loss benefits.
Both claims can be filed together, but you should have our Certified Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Specialists help so you understand what damages might be subject to a subrogation claim. That claim lets the insurance carrier be paid back for damages they already paid, so that you do not get compensated twice.
How Long Do Cases Take?
Workers’ Comp claims can often take over a year if they are contested. Lawsuits may take closer to two years if they need to go to trial.
Claims can be settled much faster, with Workers’ Comp claims usually going first because they are even shorter than lawsuits in many cases.
Can I Settle a Workers’ Comp Claim or Injury Lawsuit?
Workers’ Comp claims and lawsuits can both be settled.
Workers’ Comp settlements can come as a lump sum instead of you receiving compensation on an ongoing basis. For claims involving ongoing medical concerns where your condition might worsen over time – such as cancer – it may be better to settle just the wage-loss benefits so you can continue to get medical care covered as expenses and complications arise.
Lawsuits can also be settled, with the additional pain and suffering damages often increasing these settlement amounts. If you were already paid through Workers’ Comp, the carrier may have a subrogation lien on your lawsuit so they can be repaid for what they already paid you.
What Kind of Lawyer Do I Need?
Our attorneys are Workers’ Compensation lawyers who also handle lawsuits. We can handle both claims and coordinate the benefits to help maximize your compensation among all cases.
Can Family Members File for a Radiologist’s Death?
In the case that a worker’s injuries, cancer, or other occupational illnesses become fatal, our lawyers can help the surviving family file for death benefits through Workers’ Comp and/or a wrongful death lawsuit.
Call Our Workers’ Comp Lawyers for Radiologists in Philly Today
For your free case review, call our Workers’ Compensation lawyers for radiologists at Cardamone Law at (267) 651-7945.
