What do I do after a work injury?
A common question that I receive from victims after a work injury is:
“What should I do after a work injury?”
And:
“What are the most important things that I need to do to make sure that I protect myself after a work injury?”
So, we’re going to answer these questions in this blog.
The first step after being injured at work is:
Report the Work Injury
First and foremost, you must report the injury.
Technically, under Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law, you have 120 days to report the work injury.
However, you should not wait 120 days.
You need to report the injury and you need to report it right away.
You want to make sure that your employer knows that you’ve been injured at work, and that they know as soon as possible after a work injury.
Get the Panel Physician List & Get Treatment
Second thing, Ask for and receive the panel physician list.
What is the panel physician list?
The panel physician list is going to be a list that contains, typically six, names of doctors or medical institutions that you’re allowed to go to after a work injury.
Make sure you don’t wait after a work injury.
You want to get your medical treatment from an approved panel physician as quickly, and often, as possible.
If the panel doctor tells you to do something after a work injury, follow their instructions exactly.
It’s imperative that you get the medical treatment and follow the protocols of the panel physician.
If you don’t it could seem like you weren’t actually hurt and didn’t suffer a work injury.
So, report your work injury ASAP and get medical treatment from a company approved panel physician as quickly as possible.
Make sure you take these first two steps after a work injury, these are very important for your case!
Contact a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
The third thing to do after a work injury is: Contact a Lawyer.
It’s important to know what your rights are after a work injury.
Most lawyers don’t charge a consultation fee for workers’ compensation, including us at ARM Lawyers.
We offer FREE consultations for victims after a work injury.
Call us today and schedule your free workers’ compensation consultation with Attorney Joshua B. Goldberg.
Attorney Goldberg has over 24 years of experience handling Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation cases and helping victims after a work injury.
Contact Us
So, if you’ve made it this far in the post you might need a workers’ compensation lawyer.
If that’s you then you need a lawyer who’s experienced and knows the laws and procedures around PA workers’ comp.
Contact us today to schedule your free workers’ comp consultation.
What if I Don’t Follow These Steps?
Disregarding these steps and not reporting your injury immediately, not asking for the panel physician list and getting treatment from a panel physician, and not contacting a reputable workers’ compensation lawyer will make it much harder to get compensation.
It will be much easier for your company/company’s insurance provider to dispute and disprove your work injury claim.
Even if you were injured at work, and you have a legitimate injury, you could still lose some, or all of your compensation if you don’t take appropriate action after your work injury.
Recap
So, to recap the steps you should take immediately after being injured at work:
- Report the Work Injury
- Get the Panel Physician List & Get Treatment
- Contact a Lawyer
If you follow these steps after a work injury, with the help of a lawyer, you’ll be prepared to make your workers’ compensation case in Pennsylvania.
We hope you found this blog helpful.
If you have further questions or need help with your Pennsylvania workers’ compensation case, please reach out to us and schedule your free consultation.
We’re here to help.
