Most of the time, when you get injured at work, it is a relatively minor affair, which you can soon move on from. Sometimes, it is much more than that. If you are unable to work for an extended period of time due to a workplace injury, you could benefit from the legal expertise of a Lancaster permanent disability attorney.
Aside from the trauma and pain inflicted by your injury, being unable to work and earn a wage could leave you and your family in significant financial difficulty, through no fault of your own. You will need financial assistance during this difficult time and employees in situations like yours are entitled to receive disability benefits. Of course, being entitled to a benefit does not mean you can easily claim it, which is where our experience and legal knowledge proves valuable. When your disability benefits are delayed or miscalculated, a Lancaster permanent disability attorney could be the most powerful weapon in your arsenal.
A permanent disability attorney from Koszdin, Fields & Sherry will always seek full payment of benefits for both temporary and permanent disability, and will use the full power of our knowledge and experience to secure this on your behalf. Permanent disability claims, in particular, can be incredibly complex, so we have in-house specialists ready to provide expert guidance and support throughout your case.
If you are ready to discuss your circumstances with a Lancaster permanent disability attorney, call us today on 818-812-5639 for your free initial consultation.
How a Lancaster Permanent Disability Attorney Could Help You
Aside from the obvious pain, permanent disability can be incredibly traumatic, as you struggle to come to terms with not being able to live your life as you used to. Even if you can return to work, your permanent disability will mean that your earning capacity is reduced, sometimes drastically. We feel strongly that this is not something you should simply have to accept. If you can work at all, you may believe that you are not entitled to claim disability benefits, but this not true.
Rather than being based on being able or unable to work, permanent disability benefits are calculated on a scale relating to your level of impairment. As such, if you can work, but cannot do what you were once able, you could be entitled to receive disability benefits. The level of impairment tends to be where insurance companies start to disagree, as they attempt to reduce the level of benefit you are entitled to.
Your Lancaster permanent disability attorney will ensure that your claim is not underpaid, by having it evaluated by an agreed medical evaluator (AME) or a qualified medical evaluator (QME). If required, we will appeal the decision with the Workers Compensation Appeals Board, and have your rating reconsidered.
When you discuss your case with a Lancaster permanent disability attorney, we will also assess whether you could be eligible for temporary disability benefits.
Top Causes of Disabling Workplace Injuries
High-risk industries for workplace injuries, including those that leave workers permanently disabled, include both manufacturing and construction. However, the 2021 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index looks at the bigger picture, underscoring the fact that disabling accidents and the injuries that they cause can occur in any job.
The top cause of the most serious workplace injuries – those that caused disability or that resulted in employees missing more than five workdays as a result, include:
- Handling objects, such as heavy boxes.
- Falls from the same level, typically on wet or slippery floors.
- Falls to a lower level, such as from a ladder that is not sturdy.
- Being struck by objects, usually falling objects.
- Awkward postures, such as when stepping down from a vehicle.
- Vehicle crashes, often involving distracted drivers.
- Slipping and tripping without falling, sometimes on an uneven or slippery walkway.
- Collisions with equipment or objects, including fixed workspace objects.
- Entanglements with machinery or equipment, typically involving rotating or moving parts.
- Repetitive motions requiring intensive hand and shoulder movements.
Workplace injuries cost U.S. companies more than a billion dollars each week.
The Permanent Disability Claims Process
It is important for claimants to be aware of the claims process when it comes to permanent disability from Workers Compensation. Once you are deemed eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits, you must reach a plateau in the recovery process in order to be considered for permanent disability benefits. Only your treating physician can determine when you have reached what is known as maximal medical improvement (MMI). This means that the medical professional does not think that your condition will show further improvement, even with additional treatment, in the foreseeable future.
How long it takes you to reach this maximum recovery plateau varies widely. For some people, it can take a few months, but for others, it may take a few years from the time they experience the workplace injury until a doctor determines that MMI has been reached.
The biggest determining factor in reaching MMI is the nature of the illness or injury. Some conditions stabilize more quickly than others. For example, if you break your leg, you may have trouble walking on certain surfaces for months or longer, but if you get cancer from being exposed to hazardous toxins at work, it may take longer for you to reach MMI. It can also take longer to reach MMI when insurance companies are hesitant to pay for expensive procedures or fail to approve recommended surgeries in a timely fashion.
Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation with a Lancaster Permanent Disability Attorney Today
Our Lancaster permanent disability attorney is ready to help you understand the complicated claims process that you face on your road to getting the benefits you deserve. We have the experience, knowledge, and tools at our disposal to help you achieve the best possible outcome for your claim while minimizing the amount of time it takes to get your benefits started.
The longer you wait to file your temporary or permanent disability benefits claim, the longer it can take to have it approved.
To avoid any unnecessary delays, schedule your free initial consultation with a Lancaster permanent disability attorney by calling us on 818-812-5639 today.
