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Is Your Workplace Making You Sick?
There may be hidden hazards in your workplace. If you have
developed a condition which you feel may be related to work,
contact a properly qualified Workers Comp lawyer immediately. The
amount of workers compensation benefits will depend on the type
of injury you suffered, how much your wages were at the time
your were injured, the length of your injury, and whether you
had suffered a permanent and/or specific type of loss (known as
a "specific loss").
Maximum Wage Loss Amount
In Pennsylvania, the maximum amount that you can receive is
two-thirds of your average weekly wage. The current maximum is
on wages of about $1000 per month (so benefits of just over $600
per month). This amount is increased from time to time, but this
is the current maximum.
Medical Bills
In addition to this, you are entitled to payment of your medical
bills.
Partial versus Total Disability
There is a big difference in the benefits you can receive
depending on whether you are partially or totally disabled. In
order to be totally disabled, you need more than a 50%
disability according to AMA guidelines. At the two year mark
(104 weeks) if you are deterimined to be partially disabled, you
benefits will run out after 500 more weeks (10 more years, 12
years total). Most people lose benefits as a result of this law.
If you are totally disabled, you would continue to receive your
benefits.
Specific Losses
If you suffered a specific loss injury, you receive a
pre-specified amount of benefit. For example, the loss of a hand
is a specific loss. Currently, you are entitled to 335 weeks for
this injury (plus 20 weeks for healing). Facial disfigurement
scarring entitles you to 275 weeks of benefits. Other specific
loss injuries include all other types of amputations, loss of an
eye and hearing losses. Each specific loss has its own
compensation amount.
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