When you are dealing with injuries, you probably feel that everything in your claim should happen as soon as possible. After all, you have pain, bills and a lot more complexity than normal in your life.
Unfortunately, employers and insurance companies do not always have the same goals. Knowing the general timelines might help you set your expectations and plan your strategy.
Denials and eligibility
One of the biggest delays you can have in a valid personal injury claim is a denial. Employers or insurance companies deny claims for various reasons. One of them might be that you are not eligible.
However, you should know that almost every employee in Pennsylvania is eligible for coverage. Even companies with only one employee have to follow the workers’ comp law. Other things might legitimately threaten your benefits, though, such as intoxication or illegal drug use contributing to the injury.
Timelines and delays
Generally speaking, you have 21 days to report your injury to your employer. Your report gets the ball rolling on the rest of the process. Once you provide notification, your employer has another 21 days to act. They also have to file a report with the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
Employers may accept your claim, deny it or even file for an extension while giving you temporary benefits. That third option, the extension, gives them another 90 days to make their decision.
There are various other timelines, especially if your claim ends up going to the workers’ compensation courts. These formal procedures can sometimes feel like unnecessary delays in getting the compensation you deserve. Luckily, there are efficient ways to navigate litigation — and most judges do not take kindly to employers who would waste time simply to delay an inevitable payout. Call 610-892-9300 now to see if our dedicated workers’ compensation attorneys could help cut through the red tape.