Reading, PA Work Injury + Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

When a work injury strikes and leaves you in the hospital and unable to get back to your job, you can face a world of physical and economic hurt. Filing a claim with your employer’s Workers’ Compensation can often get your medical bills and a good portion of your lost wages covered, all without needing to prove that anyone was at fault for your injuries. However, the process can be daunting, and you should always get help before filing.

Our attorneys represent injured workers and fight insurance companies and employers to get our clients the benefits to which they are entitled. We fight at your side every step of the case, all with the goal of maximizing the compensation you receive and fighting to appeal any denials along the way.

For a free evaluation of your injury case, call the Certified Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Specialists at Cardamone Law today at (267) 651-7945.

Common Workers’ Compensation Questions in Reading, PA

In the immediate aftermath of a workplace injury, workers and their families are often understandably riddled with questions. Some of the most common are the following:

What Does Workers’ Compensation Benefits Cover in Reading, PA?

Injury benefits for workers usually include medical coverage as well as wage-loss benefits.

In general, medical benefits should cover any and all necessary care to treat your work-related injury or illness. As long as the condition and the treatment can be tied back to an injury that occurred within the scope of your work, you should receive full coverage for the medical care costs, medication, therapy bills, and more.

Wage-loss benefits might not cover your entire paycheck, but this evens out, given the fact that medical care costs are not coming out of your pocket. In general, 2/3 of your average weekly wages will be paid to you as long as you are out of work or subject to “specific loss” schedules in the case of certain amputations or loss of function injuries. In some cases, lower wage earners can get 90% of their wages.

Am I Entitled to Workers’ Compensation in Reading?

Workers’ Compensation should be available to all employees in the Commonwealth with some exceptions. Federal workers, realtors, longshore workers, and certain other workers are specifically exempt from coverage, but often because they work as independent contractors or because they are covered by a different Workers’ Compensation system (e.g., the federal system). Otherwise, full-time employees are supposed to be covered across most industries in the state.

Some “casual” employees might also be exempt from coverage, so check with our Certified Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Specialists to see if you are covered.

One big point of contention in coverage is with independent contractors. If you control the time, place, and manner of your own work instead of your employer telling you what to do, you might be classified as an independent contractor instead of an “employee.” If that is the case, your employer does not have to cover you, and you might not have Workers’ Compensation. However, many employers misclassify workers, trying to skip out on coverage for workers who deserve the benefits they are supposed to receive. This is especially true of so-called “gig workers.”

Who Will Pay My Medical Bills in Case of a Workplace Injury in Reading?

Your employer’s Workers’ Compensation is supposed to pay for any and all medical care deemed necessary for your treatment. In some cases, coverage is paid directly by an employer or through a third party. However, the core requirement of the Workers’ Compensation Act is that your employer pays for your work injuries, not you.

Workers’ Compensation is not a program that you should be required to pay into like you do with Social Security or Medicare. Instead, it is fully your employer’s responsibility.

Do I Get My Full Pay If I Get Injured at Work in Reading, PA?

Generally, injured workers receive 2/3 of their average weekly wages as wage-loss benefits. This is subject to a maximum benefit of $1,325 per week in 2024. Workers earning under $993.75 per week but over $736.10 should receive $662.50 per week, which is 2/3 of that upper limit. If you make $736.10 per week or less, your benefit should be 90% of your average wage.

This is based on the year the injury occurred, and you can view the rate for different years on the PA Department of Labor website. Talk to a lawyer for help determining the wage-loss benefit rate in your specific case or considering whether a lump sum settlement might be better for you.

Can I Sue My Employer for Workplace Injuries in Reading?

Our Workers’ Compensation lawyers only handle Workers’ Comp claims, focusing on getting our clients benefits that way. This is because – in most cases – you are barred from suing an employer for workplace injuries. In some cases, your employer is not actually going to be the one at fault, so a lawsuit against them would not work anyway. This is common in cases where the injured worker was actually the one who caused their own injuries by accident.

Workers’ Comp allows you to claim benefits no matter who caused the injury, as long as it was not caused by your own intentional acts or by your intoxication, drug use, or illegal acts.

There are some exceptions where lawsuits against a boss are allowed, such as when your employer has no Workers’ Comp coverage or where the injured worker is an independent contractor.

Do I Even Need a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in a Reading, PA Work Injury Case?

Insurance companies will rely on the fact that you are likely not an insurance expert and do not know what your rights and entitlements are. They may intentionally act in bad faith to undercut your case. Even when they are acting in good faith, they may try to shut down your case by claiming that your injuries were not in fact work-related or by having their doctors deny your diagnosis. In these cases, it can be exceedingly difficult for an injured worker to get compensation without working with an experienced Workers’ Compensation attorney.

In fact, working with an attorney is statistically more likely to result in a win in your case. Plus, our attorneys have combined decades of experience and can put it to use for you, helping to smooth out the process, speed up claims where possible, and help you understand what your benefits should be worth.

Cardamone Law — Certified Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Reading

Being Certified Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Specialists means we are in the unique position to have studied the law in great depth and detail. It allows us to understand its nuances and see that our cases work in the favor of the injured worker — like they are meant to.

A Boutique Law Firm Experience

Our clients are not nameless files or numbered cases that we work on. As we are a boutique law firm, highly specialized in our niche, and with seasoned professionals in our team, we are a focused, battle-hardened, and potent crew to have on your side as you go to war with your employer or their insurer.

We yield no inch of ground and leave not a penny on the table. Whether in trial or at the negotiating table, we stand guard over your rights and fight for every last dime you are owed.

Same-Day Free Case Reviews

We understand how debilitating it could be to fall victim to a work-related accident. To immediately put all our potential clients at ease, we offer same-day free case reviews.

Our Reading Workers’ Compensation attorneys take a look at the details of your case and give you a general overview of where things stand. Once you decide to put your case into our care, we sit with you and determine a strategy for the case.

Pay Us Only When You Get Paid

At Cardamone Law, we work on a contingency fee basis. This simply means that we only get paid if you do; no money is required to hire us for your work injury cases.

This makes us accessible to a wide range of injured workers from a variety of backgrounds and prevents them from having to worry about how to pay us.

We Fight for Workers’ Rights

Every year, thousands of employers deny or try to diminish rightful injury claims filed by honest and hardworking employees who get injured on the job. Cardamone Law was formed with the singular purpose of fighting for each injured worker in the Commonwealth and getting them what they are owed. In the past 20+ years, we have done exactly that. We are thorough, dedicated, and highly skilled Workers’ Compensation attorneys in Reading, PA.

Call Our Reading, PA Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Today

If you were hurt at work, call Cardamone Law at (267) 651-7945 for a free case review with our Workers’ Compensation lawyers today.