Were you injured on the job in Carlisle, Pennsylvania? You may be entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits covering your medical bills and a portion of your lost income. Depending on the circumstances, you may also be able to file a personal injury claim seeking additional damages.
The Carlisle workplace accident lawyers at Marzzacco Niven & Associates will identify all sources of compensation in your case.
Our legal team has over 120 years of combined experience in personal injury and workers’ compensation law. We know how to pursue work injury claims and get the best possible outcomes for our clients.
Contact our law office in Carlisle at (717) 995-8732 to discuss your occupational injury with an experienced attorney. We offer a free consultation and are available 24/7 to provide information regarding the benefits of creating an attorney-client relationship.
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How Can Marzzacco Niven & Associates Help After a Workplace Accident in Carlisle, PA?
Whether it occurs on a dangerous construction site or in an office environment, work-related accidents can cause severe injuries. And unfortunately, recovering compensation isn’t always an easy process – which is why hiring an attorney is often the best way to reach a fair result.
Our experienced Carlisle personal injury lawyers know how to navigate the Pennsylvania workers’ compensation system. We’re familiar with insurance providers’ tactics, including ways they delay, undervalue, and deny claims.
Our team includes Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialists who have immense knowledge of how to help injured workers recover the benefits they deserve.
If you hire the dedicated attorneys at Marzzacco Niven & Associates for help with a workplace accident case, we’ll:
- Investigate the circumstances of your accident and gather evidence proving your case
- Identify whether any third parties share liability – and if so, file a personal injury claim on your behalf
- Negotiate with insurance companies and others and protect you if your claim is denied
- Handle your case from start to finish, including representing you in hearings and court proceedings
Call our law firm for a free case assessment and learn how we can help after a workplace accident in Carlisle, PA.
How Common Are Workplace Accidents in Pennsylvania?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 4,764 people were killed in fatal work-related accidents in 2020. Out of those, 148 fatalities occurred in Pennsylvania. That’s slightly over 3% of the nation’s fatal work injuries.
Thousands more workers are injured annually in occupational accidents. According to the Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry’s 2021 Workplace Safety Annual Report, 161,592 work injuries and illnesses were reported statewide. Over half of the injuries occurred in the Trade, Transportation, & Utilities (29.5%) and Education & Health (28.5%) industries.
What Kind of Compensation Is Available To Workplace Accident Victims in Pennsylvania?
Most Pennsylvania employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover employees who are injured on the job. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, meaning workers can receive benefits without proving negligence. They can also recover benefits if they’re partially at fault for causing their injury.
Below we discuss the types of compensation you can receive for work-related injuries in Pennsylvania.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
The Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act provides injured workers with the following types of benefits:
- All reasonable and necessary medical expenses
- Partial disability benefits (lost wages) if you’re partially disabled, able to return to work in some capacity, and receive less income than your pre-accident earnings
- Total disability benefits (lost wages) if you’re completely disabled and unable to work
- Specific loss benefits if you’ve permanently lost the use of a body part (e.g., arm, finger, etc.) or function (e.g., hearing or eyesight)
- Disfigurement benefits if you suffered serious and permanent disfigurement to your face, head, or neck
- Death benefits to surviving dependents if the workplace accident was fatal
You will not receive the total amount of your lost wages. Your lost-wage benefits will be two-thirds of your pre-injury average weekly income, subject to a weekly maximum. Additionally, you cannot recover compensation for pain, suffering, or any other non-economic loss.
Personal Injury Damages
If you’re entitled to file a third-party personal injury claim, you can seek the full extent of your losses, including economic and non-economic damages.
Economic damages may include:
- Past and future medical costs
- The full value of your lost wages
- Diminished earning potential
- Out-of-pocket expenses, such as childcare
Non-economic damages may include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Inconvenience
We’ll help you determine whether you have a valid personal injury claim against a negligent motorist, property owner, manufacturer, or other parties. If so, we’ll pursue the full extent of your losses that you wouldn’t otherwise recover by filing a workers’ comp claim.
What Is My Carlisle Workplace Accident Case Worth?
The value of your workplace accident claim will depend on whether you can file a workers’ compensation claim, personal injury case, or both. No matter what claim you file, the severity of your injury or disability will be a determining factor, as it affects the value of your medical expenses.
If you file a workers’ compensation claim, your case’s value will depend on:
- Your average weekly wages prior to your accident
- The amount of time you miss from work
- Whether you’re able to return to work in any capacity
However, there are limits to the workers’ compensation system. You can only receive a portion of your lost wages, and they’re subject to a maximum statewide cap. You also cannot recover compensation for non-economic losses, such as pain and suffering.
The following factors will affect the value of a personal injury case:
- The impact of your injuries on your quality of life
- The full extent of your lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- The physical pain and suffering and emotional trauma you’ve endured
- Whether you share fault for causing the workplace accident
Our Carlisle workplace accident attorneys will evaluate the facts of your case to give you a better idea of how much it may be worth.
What Causes Most Work-Related Injuries?
Any type of accident or personal injury incident can cause a workplace injury.
We handle all types of work injury claims, including those involving:
- Car accidents
- Truck accidents
- Construction accidents
- Scaffolding accidents
- Crane accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Falls from heights, such as ladders and roofs
- Pedestrian accidents
- Factory accidents
- Being struck by or caught between objects
- Explosions
- Fires
- Electrocution
- Repetitive motions
- Dangerous or defective work equipment or machinery
Many of these accidents are caused by violations of state and OSHA safety regulations, lack of safety equipment, and failure to communicate or supervise.
Contact our workers’ compensation attorneys to see how we can help you after an on-the-job accident.
We’ll Fight To Recover Compensation for All of Your Carlisle Workplace Accident Injuries
A work accident can cause all types of injuries and harm, including but not limited to:
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Neck injuries
- Back injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Spinal cord damage
- Internal organ damage
- Hearing loss
- Blindness
- Soft tissue injuries
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Nerve damage
- Amputations
- Crushing injuries
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death
If you sustained any of these or other injuries in a work-related accident, don’t hesitate to contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates for help.
Can I Recover Compensation If I’m Blamed for My Workplace Accident in Pennsylvania?
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, meaning you can recover benefits regardless of whether you caused your accident. A few exceptions apply, such as if you intentionally harmed yourself or your injury resulted from a violation of the law (e.g., illegal drug use).
However, fault plays a role in a Pennsylvania personal injury claim. The state has a modified comparative negligence law with a 51% bar to recovery. If you share more than 50% of the blame for an accident, you cannot recover any compensation. If your apportioned fault is 50% or less, you can recover compensation, but it will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility.
For example, if you’re assigned 40% fault for causing a workplace accident, you can only take home 60% of your awarded damages. If you’re assigned 51% fault, you take home nothing.
Insurance companies and other opposing parties often use this rule to reduce their financial liability in personal injury claims. Our Carlisle personal injury attorneys are prepared to fight back against these and other unsubstantiated allegations.
How Long Do I Have To File a Workplace Accident Claim in Pennsylvania?
Workers in Pennsylvania must notify their employer within 120 days of the injury to receive workers’ comp benefits. If your benefits are denied, you have three years from the injury date to file a petition.
If you file a personal injury claim after a workplace accident, Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations gives you two years from the injury date to file a claim.
Don’t miss the deadline that applies to your workplace accident claim. Otherwise, you could lose your right to recover injury compensation.
Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Carlisle Workplace Accident Lawyers
If you sustained injuries in a workplace accident in Carlisle, PA, contact Marzzacco Niven & Associates for immediate assistance. We’re well-equipped to help injured workers recover fair compensation for occupational illnesses and injuries.
Schedule a free initial consultation to discuss your workplace accident, injuries, and avenues for financial recovery. We’re ready to help you get the benefits and compensation you deserve.