If a Pennsylvania employee gets injured while on the job, the employer may be responsible for providing compensation for their recovery. However, there are a few types of workers who may not be covered under their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Examples include independent contractors and railroad workers. Employees should know if their employer has insurance and if they are potentially entitled to compensation if they must miss work because of their injury.
Before the employee files a workers’ compensation claim, they should be sure that their injuries were caused by their work. This generally means that the injury occurred while the employee was doing something work-related. The employee may also be eligible for compensation if they were injured while at a company party or other event sponsored by the employer.
In some special cases, an employee may waive workers’ compensation benefits and opt to sue the employer. An example would be if the employer intentionally harmed the employee. Certain workers, such as federal employees and miners, may also have special avenues where they may seek alternatives to workers’ compensation.
Workers’ compensation benefits are meant to cover a portion of an employee’s income and medical costs if they should suffer an injury while working. If an injured employee is denied their benefits, an attorney may potentially assist with filing a claim against the employer’s insurance company. If the employer does not have insurance, an attorney may help the injured person file a lawsuit against the employer in order to seek compensation for lost income and medical bills.