Payment of Specific Loss Benefits in Pennsylvania Workers’ Comp Claims
October 30, 2017
There are some injuries that heal over time, and there are others that one never recovers from. It’s every employee’s nightmare: Losing a body part or limb while on the job. If you lose a finger, hand, or limb while you’re working, there’s no going back. Life is permanently changed, and you’ll have to find a new normal. If you lose a body part on the job, after receiving emergency medical care, your next call should be to a lawyer. You’ll need to make sure you find a caring, knowledgeable Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorney to help you file your claim. You’ll be entitled to financial restitution in the form of lost wages, medical bills, and/or specific benefits.What are specific benefits?
Specific benefits differ from lost wages claims in that they are designed by the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act to be payments for lost body parts or limbs on the job. These awards are not the same as being paid out for lost wages, but they do use the employee’s salary to be calculated. It’s a good idea to consult with a Philadelphia workers’ comp lawyer to obtain sound legal advice about what your specific benefits would amount to.
The key piece of a specific benefit claim is this: Even though your salary is used to calculate compensable damages, you don’t have to miss work to collect them. This is how they differ from lost wages.
How are specific benefits calculated?
First things first: You’ll need to establish eligibility for benefits through a comprehensive medical exam and diagnosis from your physician or health care provider. Next, your “benefit wage” — that is, two-thirds of your current salary amount — is multiplied by a set number of weeks for each body part. For example, if you lose a leg, that number is 410 weeks, multiplied by two-thirds of your pay. This is different than lost wages. Healing benefits are also factored into this equation.
These laws are complicated, and you want to make sure you get all of the compensation for sustaining such a life changing injury that you deserve. There is no way to undo the terrible thing that happened to you, but with an aggressive Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyer, you can be awarded some financial restitution.
Larry Pitt & Associates represents honest, hardworking people that have suffered work injuries. We aim to be the most comprehensive and effective firm in the state. Please call 888.PITT.LAW or fill out our contact form to schedule an appointment to consult with us about your specific benefits claim. We are a reputable firm that fights for injured workers in Berks, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery, and Philadelphia Counties.
