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If you were injured on the job in Latrobe, Westmoreland County, you can seek compensation for your medical expenses and lost wages through a workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ compensation is a type of no-fault insurance that most employers in the state are legally required to have. It provides injured workers with benefits in exchange for not being able to sue their employer directly for their injuries.
Contact Stine & Associates, P.C., for a free consultation with an experienced workers’ comp lawyer serving Latrobe, PA. Our attorney will review your case, go over the benefits you’re entitled to, and explain the process of seeking those benefits through a workers’ comp claim.
Workers’ Comp Basics in Latrobe, PA
Understanding workers’ comp basics is crucial for recovering the benefits you need and deserve. These basics include when coverage begins, what deadlines to meet when filing a claim, and how to seek treatment within the first 90 days after your injury.
When Does Coverage Begin?
Employees are covered by workers’ compensation as soon as they begin working. Even if you suffered an injury on the first day of the job, you can seek workers’ compensation benefits. However, it’s important to remember that workers’ comp typically only covers employees, not independent contractors.
Workers’ Comp Deadlines
There are three key deadlines injured workers must keep in mind when applying for workers’ compensation benefits:
- First, you must report your injury to your employer within 21 days to be eligible for back pay to the injury date.
- Second, you must report your injury to your employer within 120 days to be eligible for workers’ comp benefits.
- Third, you have three years to file a claim petition to dispute the insurance company’s denial of your claim, valuation of your claim, or termination of your benefits.
Seeking Treatment in the First 90 Days
For the first 90 days of your treatment, you must see doctors on your employer’s approved physicians list. This is a list of six healthcare providers, three of which must be physicians, that your employer has the employee sign upon hiring or any time a change is made to the list.
These providers must be geographically accessible for employees, and your employer cannot force you to visit any one provider on the list in particular. If your employer does not have a physicians list, you can visit any provider of your choosing. You can also visit any provider after the first 90 days of treatment.
Understanding Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Through workers’ compensation insurance, injured employees and their families can receive financial benefits that fall into four categories: Medical coverage, wage replacement, disability, and death benefits. Injured workers may also be eligible to receive vocational rehabilitation after a workplace injury if they can no longer perform their pre-injury job.
Medical Coverage Benefits
Workers’ comp medical coverage benefits pay for reasonable and necessary medical treatments, surgeries, hospital stays, prescription medications, physical therapy, and medical devices related to the work injury. The insurer may dispute the necessity of some of your treatments, which is why working with an experienced workers’ comp lawyer is vital for receiving the benefits you deserve.
Wage Replacement Benefits
Depending on the year in which your injury occurred and your average weekly wage, the amount of wage replacement benefits you receive may differ. The wage replacement amounts listed below are for 2025:
- If your average weekly wage is $2,020.51 or higher, you receive a flat payment of $1,347.00 per week.
- If your average weekly wage is between $1,010.26 and $2,020.50, you receive 66⅔ percent of your average weekly wage.
- If your average weekly wage is between $748.33 and $1,010.25, you receive a flat payment of $673.50 per week.
- If your average weekly wage is $748.32 or less, you receive 90 percent of your average weekly wage.
Total and Partial Disability Benefits
If your injuries leave you completely unable to work, you can receive total disability benefits for up to 104 weeks before your employer or their insurer can request that you undergo a medical evaluation. If the evaluation determines you are less than 35 percent impaired, your benefits can change to partial disability.
Partial disability benefits can run for a maximum of 500 weeks while you work in a lessened capacity. During partial disability, you receive 66⅔ percent of the difference between your pre- and post-injury wages.
The loss of or loss of use of specific body parts is worth a set number of weeks of disability benefits. For example, the loss of a hand is worth 335 weeks of compensation at 66⅔ of your average weekly wage, and the loss of a foot is worth 250 weeks of compensation at 66⅔ of your average weekly wage.
Death Benefits
Family members can receive compensation for the death of a loved one due to a workplace injury. The amount of compensation available depends on the family member’s relation to the deceased. For example, a widow without children receives 51 percent of the deceased’s average weekly wage. However, a widow with children receives 60 percent of the deceased’s average weekly wage for one child and 66⅔ percent for two or more children.
What to Do After a Workplace Injury
After suffering a workplace injury in Latrobe, you should take the following steps to protect your right to seek workers’ comp benefits:
- Report the Injury: You must report your injury to your employer within 120 days (21 if you want to receive back pay). It’s best to do this verbally and in writing so you can keep a copy of the report.
- Seek Medical Treatment: You must seek medical treatment with a doctor from your employer’s physicians list for the first 90 days to receive medical coverage benefits.
- Document the Incident: You should document how the incident occurred and what injuries you suffered. You can take photographs of your injury and keep a journal.
- File a Workers’ Comp Claim: You should file your workers’ compensation claim through your employer’s insurance company.
- Contact a Workers’ Comp Lawyer: The best way to protect your rights is to consult an experienced workers’ comp lawyer.
How Our Workers’ Comp Attorney Can Help
The workers’ comp attorney at Stine & Associates, P.C., can help you seek the benefits you deserve in the following ways:
- Investigating the Incident: Our lawyer will investigate the incident that caused your injury and collect the evidence necessary to prove the veracity of your claim.
- Calculating Your Benefits: We’ll calculate your benefits so that we’re aware of whether the insurance company tries to give you less than you deserve.
- Negotiating with Insurance Companies: We’ll negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf to seek the benefits you need. Our lawyer has experience handling insurance companies and the tactics they use to deny claims.
- Representing You in Court: Our firm will represent you in court if the insurance company denies your claim, fails to provide the compensation you are entitled to, or wrongfully terminates your benefits.
Contact Stine & Associates, P.C. Today
If you suffered an on-the-job injury in Latrobe, Greensburg, Pittsburgh, or elsewhere in Western and Central Pennsylvania, contact Stine & Associates, P.C., for a free consultation about your case. During your consultation, we’ll review the details of your injury, explain the workers’ comp process, and answer any questions you have about the benefits you could receive.