Lancaster Attorneys Help You Continue to Receive Workers Comp Benefits

How to Keep the Workers' Compensation Benefits You Are Receiving

One of the biggest mistakes that claimants in the workers compensation system make is getting lulled into a false sense of security when they are receiving wage loss benefits and believe that all of their medical bills are being paid. Almost always, employers and insurance companies are posturing behind the scenes to minimize their financial liability for claims. They do this in a variety of ways, many of which are unknown to injured workers. Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C. devotes its practice to Lancaster County’s workforce, exclusively representing those hurt on the job, and never employers or insurance companies. We have decades of experience in this field, consistently practicing before the Workers’ Compensation Judges here and earning millions of dollars on behalf of our clients over the years.

When you are out of work and receiving disability benefits, we have found that one of the most important things we can give you is peace-of-mind. Knowing that you have a law firm dedicated to protecting your benefits and fighting for your rights can mean all the difference in the world. At Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C., our goal is to handle all of the dealings with the insurance company, provide continual guidance with your medical care and treatment and give you ongoing advice and direction about how to best navigate your claim. It’s strenuous enough coping with an injury, attending doctor’s appointments and trying to live on workers’ compensation benefits that are less than your salary—let us keep an eye on everything else for you.

If you are on workers’ comp and want to make sure you are protected, we are here to sit down with you to discuss your claim, free-of-charge and with no obligation. We also conduct a free investigation and analysis of your claim and give you the scoop on what the workers’ compensation insurance company is doing and, in all likelihood, planning. By engaging a law firm that focuses on workers’ compensation, you can enjoy the peace of mind that is so important and eliminate surprises in your workers’ compensation claim.

What Might be Happening With Your Claim

If you are receiving wage loss and medical benefits under Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation system, there are many things that could be happening without your knowledge — or things that were supposed to happen, but didn’t — including:

• Failure to file notice: If workers’ comp is paying you wage loss benefits, but the insurance company never filed a Notice of Compensation Payable (NCP), which allows the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation to formally accept your claim, the insurance company could stop paying you at any time. Just because the insurance company provided you with a copy of the NCP does not mean that it was filed with the Bureau.
• Inaccurate description of your injuries: Your right to medical treatment may be limited by an inaccurate or incomplete description of your work-related injuries reported by the insurance company. For example, if you suffered a herniated lumbar disk, but the insurance company has only accepted a low back “strain” or “sprain” as the description of your injury, workers’ comp would be within its legal rights to deny payment for surgery related to the disk herniation.
• Physician pressure: A “medical case manager” or “rehabilitation nurse” hired by the insurance company may be talking to your doctor behind your back. If so, these workers’ comp employees may try to convince your doctor to do things that are not in your best interest, such as:
  • Release you to return to work before you are ready
  • Reduce or lift your work restrictions before they should be
  • Declare that you are fully recovered, even if you are not
• “Not so” Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs): Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation laws allow your employer and the insurance company to send you out for an “independent” medical examination two times in any twelve-month period. In our experience, very rarely do we see these examinations scheduled with doctors who are known for their intellectual honesty and fairness to injured workers. In other words, insurance companies send claimants to certain doctors for a reason. At Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C., we make sure employers and insurers abide by all of the rules and regulations concerning independent medical examinations, and we thoroughly prepare our clients for what to expect. Since we have cross-examined so many defense medical “experts” over the years, we have a large repository of deposition transcripts containing these doctors’ prior testimony. This gives us a number of excellent lines of questioning to help undermine their credibility with the Workers’ Compensation Judge.

The bottom line is that, if the proper steps were not taken with your workers’ compensation claim — something you would have no way of knowing — workers’ comp could stop paying you for your lost wages or paying your medical bills at any time, and you could be left with no income or medical coverage. You need the best Lancaster workers’ compensation law firm looking out for you!

Protect Your Right to Workers’ Compensation Benefits

To learn more about protecting your right to workers’ compensation benefits, CALL GEORGELIS FIRST at 1-800-HURT-NOW or 1-717-394-3004 or contact our firm online to schedule your free consultation and evaluation. Voted Lancaster’s #1 law firm by the readers of Lancaster County Magazine for ten years running, our lawyers and paralegals will always be by your side, so you will never feel alone through the workers’ comp process and you will always know that we have your back!

Our team can meet you during the day, after regular business hours or on the weekend, and we can visit you at home, in the hospital or rehabilitation center or anywhere else of your choosing. Georgelis, Larsen & Sabatino Injury Law Firm, P.C., P.C. is conveniently located on Embassy Drive, between Route 741 (Rohrerstown Road) and Good Drive. We are only 5 minutes from the Lancaster General Health Campus and offer plenty of free and spacious parking!