Pittsburgh
Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

On This Page

1. Our Pittsburgh Attorneys Can Help With Your Workers’ Compensation Case
2. How Much Can You Get From Workers’ Compensation?
3. How Can You Get the Compensation You Deserve After a Work-Related Injury?
4. Filing a Lawsuit for a Pittsburgh Workplace Accident
5. Get in Touch With Berger and Green for Help With Your Workers’ Compensation Case

REVIEWED BY

C. William Kenny

February 02, 2024

Board certified by National Board of Trial Advocacy

If you suffered serious injuries on the job and are worried about how to pay your medical bills, our Pittsburgh workers’ compensation lawyers may be able to help you. We can explain how to obtain workers’ compensation benefits from your employer and how to keep receiving those benefits until you return to work.

At Berger and Green, we know you’re hurting. We can help. Call today for a free consultation so we can tell you more about the services our Pittsburgh personal injury lawyers provide.

Our Pittsburgh Attorneys Can Help With Your Workers’ Compensation Case

You do not have to face the confusing, overwhelming process of dealing with a workers’ comp claim on your own. Our Pittsburgh workers’ compensation lawyers are here to help you get the benefits you deserve by:

• Coming to see you: If you are too badly injured to leave the hospital or your home, let us come to you. Our legal team can visit you wherever you are.
• Explaining the process: Berger and Green can help you understand your right to receive workers’ compensation benefits for any serious injuries you sustained at your workplace.
• Filing paperwork: There are strict deadlines and other requirements for filing a worker’s comp claim. Our Pittsburgh law firm can take care of it all on your behalf.
• Fighting denials: If you are already receiving benefits, we can fight any insurance company that is threatening to take your benefits away and force you back to work before you are ready.

If you suffered an injury or illness at work, you are likely entitled to collect workers’ compensation benefits through your employer. Navigating the legal process alone is a challenge that you do not need to deal with right now. Let the workers’ compensation attorneys at Berger and Green guide you through this process so you can focus on feeling better.

Our Law Firm Can Answer Your Workers’ Compensation Questions

Suffering major injuries at work often leaves people with many questions and few answers. If you have been hurt in the workplace, you may be wondering:

• Who pays for your medical care?
• What if workers’ compensation denies your claim?
• How can you get money for lost wages?
• What if you cannot return to work?
• Can you file a lawsuit for compensation against your employer?

Our work injury lawyers in Pittsburgh can answer each of these questions and others during a free consultation. We can also help you collect evidence, meet deadlines, and negotiate a settlement.

Do You Need a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Pittsburgh?

It is a good idea to have someone on your side if there are any hiccups in your case. Workers’ compensation negotiation and litigation are often complex, and your employer’s insurance company is sure to have an entire legal team representing it.

For example, denials of workers’ compensation benefits are common. If your employer or their insurer denies your workers’ compensation claim, our firm can stand up to them and protect your rights. Without our representation, you would have to confront these large, powerful entities on your own.

Can You Afford Legal Representation for Your Workers’ Comp Case?

The attorneys at Berger and Green work on a contingency-fee basis. This payment structure means that you pay no upfront fees, and you will not pay any money if you do not win.

To learn more about our fees, our services, and how taking advantage of our 40-plus years of experience can benefit you, call Berger and Green today.

How Much Can You Get From Workers’ Compensation?

There are several factors involved in determining how much money you may get from a workers’ compensation claim. In general, you can expect to receive:

Partial Lost Wages

You can recover up to two-thirds of your lost weekly wages. These wage loss benefits continue until you return to the workplace, whether that means going back to your old job or finding a new one.

Medical Treatment for All Work-Related Injuries

All workers injured on the job are entitled to free medical care for workplace injuries so long as you see a doctor approved by your insurer. This care could include:

• Hospital stays
• Diagnostic tests
• Surgery
• Physical therapy
• Assistive devices
• Nursing home stays

Injury-Related Disability Payments

Other benefits include permanent total and permanent partial disability payments for catastrophic injuries like amputations. We can help you determine if you qualify for either of these benefits. Alternatively, our Pittsburgh Social Security Disability lawyers can help you seek benefits through Social Security if you are unable to return to work.

A good way to demystify the workers’ compensation process is to discuss your case with our workers’ comp lawyers in Pittsburgh. We can help you understand your rights and explain how workers’ compensation laws apply to your case and its outcome.

How Can You Get the Compensation You Deserve After a Work-Related Injury?

Pennsylvania’s Workers’ Compensation Act allows you to seek compensation for workplace injuries so long as you did not cause those injuries yourself through “intoxication” or “reckless indifference to danger.” The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania lays out the following timeline for pursuing such a claim:

• You should report the injury to your employer within 21 days, although you technically have 120 days from the injury date to file this report without risking your right to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
• Once your employer receives the report, they must “immediately” notify their insurer.
• The insurer has 21 days from when you first reported your injury to make a decision regarding your claim. This decision could be a denial or acceptance of liability.
• If your employer or their insurer denies liability and refuses to pay your claim, you have three years from the injury date to file a petition for benefits.
• Once you return to work, the insurance company has seven days to notify you that your benefits have been terminated. The insurer cannot stop benefits without notice.

The sooner you hire our lawyers, the sooner Berger and Green can start making sure that your claim stays on track—and that the insurer provides all required notifications in a timely manner.

Seeking Compensation From Your Employer’s Coverage

Getting the compensation you deserve after a workplace injury should be as easy as notifying your employer, seeing an approved doctor, and filing a claim. However, things do not always go this smoothly for injured workers. It is possible for the insurance provider to deny your claim, forcing you to resort to litigation to get fair compensation.

Common reasons employers reject claims include:

• The claim was not filed with the worker’s supervisor on time
• The claim was not filed with the state on time
• The reported injury was a pre-existing condition or medical condition
• The reported injury did not occur on the worksite or workplace
• There is insufficient evidence to support the claim

With our Pittsburgh lawyers at your side, you can avoid technical errors and submit a strong case for workers’ comp benefits.

Seeking Compensation After a Denial

If your employer’s insurer does not approve your workers’ compensation claim, or if they stop your benefits before you are ready, Berger and Green’s workers’ compensation attorneys can file the proper petition. This could require you to go before a judge and seek a settlement.

Our legal representatives can work with you throughout the entire settlement process, which may involve:

• Attending mediation with your employer or the insurance company, during which you will try to find common ground (e.g., a lump sum settlement or some other award)
• Attending a hearing before a judge, who will hear arguments from both sides and decide whether or not to award you benefits
• Appealing an unfavorable decision, where you ask the Workers’ Compensation Office of Adjudication (WCOA) to issue a new decision

Filing a Lawsuit for a Pittsburgh Workplace Accident

Sometimes, a third party is responsible for your workplace accident. Using the incident report, witness testimony, video footage, and other available evidence, we can identify the liable party. However, this information may not be enough to convince an insurance company or jury that the other party was negligent. Our workers’ comp attorneys would need to prove these standards of negligence:

• They owed you a duty of care.
• They failed to exercise that duty of care.
• This failure led to a workplace accident that caused you harm.
• You have suffered measurable damages as a result.

One or more parties could have contributed to or caused your accident, and we can apply these principles to each of them. Possible negligent parties could include:

• A product manufacturer, if you worked with defective equipment
• The property owner or manager
• A private contractor
• A subcontractor
• The maintenance company

When you file a third-party claim or lawsuit, you may be able to recover the full extent of your damages, including lost quality of life, lost income, and pain and suffering.

There Are Time Limits on Personal Injury Claims, Too

Do not delay getting started on your third-party claim or lawsuit, as Pennsylvania enforces a statute of limitations. According to Pa. C.S.A. § 5524, the state generally sets a two-year time limit on personal injury lawsuits. Should you miss the deadline, you may no longer qualify to hold the liable party responsible for your damages.

Whether you are entitled to a workers’ compensation settlement, a personal injury settlement, or both, Berger and Green can help you go after what is rightfully yours.

Get in Touch With Berger and Green for Help With Your Workers’ Compensation Case

Injured at work and unsure whether you have a claim for benefits? Contact our Pittsburgh workers’ compensation lawyers for a free consultation. Let Berger and Green protect you from a complex legal process, workers’ compensation denials, and all other legal obstacles so you can relax as you recover.