Young Drivers Account for Nearly 25 Percent of All Accidents
Every minute of every single day, someone is involved in an auto accident. Every sixteen minutes an accident results in a fatality. This week and every week, parents should be talking to their teens about the rules of the road and the measures they should be taking to keep themselves and others safe. Why? It’s because they account for nearly 25 percent of all accidents.
Workers’ Compensation and Depression After a Workplace Injury?
In the United States, almost one in 5 adults suffers from depression. Of those adults, only half ever seek treatment. At GLS Injury Law, we are reminded daily of the impact serious workplace injuries have on many aspects of the employee’s life. From a loss of functionality at work…to the disruption of income…to the inability to enjoy hobbies and home life—workplace injuries can be devastating. Add to it the chronic pain many are left to deal with, and often times, it leads to depression. What many people don’t know, is that post-injury depression may be compensable as part of a workers’ compensation claim. Understanding the following topics is critical in this type of case.
What Injuries Are Not Covered By Workers’ Compensation?
The purpose of workers’ compensation is to allow workers who are injured while on the job to be compensated for their work-related injury or illness without needing to prove their employer was negligent. In turn, the employer may not allege the worker was negligent and responsible for his or her own injury.
What Information Does a Lawyer Need after a Work Injury
Despite numerous state and federal laws aimed at preventing workplace injuries and illnesses, over three million non-fatal workplace accidents occur each year in the United States, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. If you were injured on the job, you are likely suffering from both physical pain and financial hardship as a result. If your injury was severe, you could be dealing with the ramifications of your injury for many years to come. Fortunately, the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system provides a variety of benefits to workers who are injured on the job. To ensure that you receive all the benefits to which you are entitled, you should consult with an experienced Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorney
There are a number of jobs out there that pose some risk to life and limb, but a few of them put workers in danger on a daily basis. In Pennsylvania, there are five jobs that are the most dangerous and are responsible for causing the most work injuries. Does your vocation make the list?
A pedestrian is no match for a motor vehicle in the event of a collision. Motor vehicle and pedestrian accidents can result in pain, suffering, and sometimes death. It is important, for their own safety and the rights of others, for pedestrians to understand the law when it comes to navigating sidewalks and roadways.
Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation Act is a unique creature. While fault for a work injury is most times irrelevant—meaning, even if you cause the accident, you will be entitled to benefits—these benefits are limited in nature and scope.
For instance, your indemnity benefits, resulting from a loss of earnings arising out of the injury-related disability, are limited to two-thirds (66 2/3%) of your average weekly wage (for an AWW of $552.77 and below, it is 90%), up to a yearly state-imposed maximum—for 2017, it is $995.00. Scarring and disfigurement are separately compensable, but only to the head, face and neck areas, as is the loss of a body part—meaning, it is either separated from the body, or, if not, the part is of no use “for all practical intents and purposes.”
When Is a Dog Owner Liable for Injuries the Dog Caused?
For many people, the old adage, “A dog is a man’s best friend,” accurately describes the human-canine relationship. When a dog attacks a human, however, it can result in physical injuries and psychological trauma that could last for years. In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, you may be held financially liable for the injuries caused by your dog if it bites someone. The extent of your liability depends on several factors.
When Your Employer Won’t Cooperate After a Work Injury: What’s Your Recourse?
Pennsylvania's Workers' Compensation laws are designed to protect most workers by providing compensation for medical expenses incurred because of a work-related injury.
Depending on the extent of your injury, you may also be entitled to payment for lost wages. The law also provides for "specific loss" benefits, which you may be entitled to receive for certain serious and permanent injuries or disfigurements. If a family member was killed as the result of a work-related injury, workers' compensation also provides death benefits to surviving dependents.
What Happens if My Workers’ Compensation Claim is Denied?
Nearly all workers in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are entitled to workers' compensation benefits if they are injured on the job or suffer an illness due to work conditions. During 2015, 166,102 work injury and illness cases were reported to the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation in Pennsylvania. Most of us assume of we are injured on the job or become ill because we were exposed to hazards in the workplace that we will automatically be approved for workers' compensation benefits. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
Surveillance In Workers’ Compensation Claims (yes, it could have, and probably has, happened to you)
Over the last couple of decades, I have handled several thousand workers’ compensation claims on behalf of injured employees, or claimants. Even though the same set of laws governs work-related injuries in Pennsylvania, each and every claim is different in many ways. One thing, though, that has been consistently present in every single claim I have handled is the employer’s and insurance company’s desire to minimize costs associated with the claim.
