Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in Springfield, PA
Springfield, PA in Delaware County is a suburban town with all sorts of jobs and workers. Whether you were injured at your job in Springfield or you live there and were injured working somewhere else in the area, our attorneys can represent you and work to get you the Workers’ Compensation benefits you need.
Applying for Workers’ Comp can be confusing, but our attorneys have specialized experience, training, and certifications in Workers’ Compensation law that help us help you with your case. We can go over the details of your accident and how it happened, help you understand what medical exams and evidence you need to prove your case, and file all the evidence needed before Workers’ Comp Judges to get your benefits granted or your claim settled.
For a free case evaluation, contact Cardamone Law’s Certified Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Specialists at (267) 651-7945.
Springfield, PA Injury Lawyers Specializing in Workers’ Compensation
Our attorneys practice throughout Delaware County and in the broader region to help victims of work injuries get benefits from their employers’ Workers’ Compensation insurance. Generally, lawyers cannot advertise or hold themselves out as specialists or experts in particular fields of law, but many of our attorneys have special certifications in Workers’ Compensation that allow us to do so.
To get these certifications, our attorneys had to prove that we had sufficient experience with various filings and procedures in Workers’ Comp law, and we had to pass additional exams. This means that we have more experienced – and focused experience – on the legal procedures and steps it takes to get your benefits paid.
Evidence Needed for a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Springfield, Delaware County, PA
The process of a Workers’ Compensation case starts with you notifying your employer of your work injury and them filing a claim with their insurance carrier. This often ends with the employer or the carrier denying the claim, at which point our Workers’ Compensation lawyers need to file a petition with a Workers’ Comp Judge to get your claim heard in court. When the case goes to court, there are two major questions the judge needs to answer:
- Was your injury work-related?
- Are you now disabled?
In answering these questions, the judge will review various evidence presented at your Workers’ Comp hearing, including the following. Keep in mind that when there is a cost of obtaining evidence – such as paying for depositions or outside medical exams – costs can usually be reimbursed when you win your case, and our attorneys are leveraged to help obtain this evidence.
Your Testimony
Workers typically need to testify at their Workers’ Comp hearings. The testimony will not go beyond what you know and experienced; you are not expected to suddenly be a medical expert. Instead, the questions will focus on what happened to you to cause the injury, both leading up to and during the actual accident, as well as what treatment you received and how the now affects you and your ability to work.
There may be pointed questions about what precisely happened and what your involvement in the accident was, but rest assured that our attorneys will be there to help you with your answers and to object to any improper questions. There may also be challenging questions about what you can and cannot do now that you are injured, but answering truthfully is always the best policy; do not try to exaggerate the severity of your injury. Usually, judges can tell when you are lying and will hold it against you.
Depositions
Most other witnesses and people with information about the case will not be asked to testify in person at the hearing. Instead, our lawyers and your employer’s or their insurance carrier’s lawyers will take in-office depositions to put the information on record. This could include asking your supervisor or co-workers questions about the accident.
Their testimony might challenge your side of the story or help corroborate your claims, but our lawyers are present in the depositions to cross-examine witnesses and challenge dubious information.
Medical Records
Medical records speak for themselves, detailing what injuries were treated, what procedures were administered, what medication was prescribed, and what your prognosis is. This will help the judge understand the injuries, their severity, and the current effect on your ability to work.
Doctor’s Reports
Both sides will also ask doctors to submit reports that more explicitly explain your medical information. Instead of relying on the judge to interpret your medical records, doctor’s reports relay their expert opinion about what caused the injury, whether you can work, what limitations you may face, and whether you can return to work with accommodations.
This information is key and goes to the core questions of whether your injury was work-related and whether your injury is disabling. As such, we want to make sure that you get reports from fair doctors, which may mean seeking outside opinions from doctors who are not paid by your employer.
Job Reports
There will often be questions about whether there is other work you can do while you are recovering or disabled. Many workers with partial disabilities can get back to work quickly doing modified tasks or getting jobs somewhere else that can accommodate their limitations. Experts are often used to explain the availability of this work to the judge.
Awarding Benefits vs. Settling Workers’ Comp Cases in Springfield
When you “win” your case, it usually happens in one of two ways: the judge grants you benefits or you settle your claim with the insurance carrier.
Awards usually involve ongoing payments for your replacement wages. These are 2/3 of your pre-injury wage or 2/3 of the difference between old and new wages for partial disabilities. You also get coverage for medical care and additional payments for certain permanent injuries, facial scars, or lost sight/hearing. If you instead settle your case, you get all these payments in one lump sum.
Settlement can ensure you get the money you need without the chance of having it taken away later, but it is not always feasible when future costs are difficult to calculate or predict. In any case, always discuss settlement offers with a lawyer to ensure it covers your case and to make sure you understand what additional rights to appeal or escalate your claim you would give up in a settlement.
Call Our Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in Springfield, Delco Today
Call (267) 651-7945 for a free case review with Cardamone Law’s Workers’ Compensation attorneys.
