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What Is the Basic Premise of The Workers’ Compensation System?

Goldstein Heslop Steele Clapper Oswalt & Smith Dec. 10, 2021

Each year thousands of Pennsylvania residents are injured in accidents that occur at work. For decades now, the law has provided protection for these injured employees in the form of the workers’ compensation system. But, what exactly is the basic premise of the workers’ compensation system?

In short, the workers’ compensation system has two main points. The first is that injured employees who qualify for protection under the workers’ compensation system are able to receive some part of their usual income while away from work due to the injury suffered, and the injured worker will also have access to medical treatment for the injury. The second main point of the workers’ compensation system in Pennsylvania is that employers are protected against lawsuits from injured workers when accidents that cause injuries occur in the workplace.

One of the best aspects of workers’ compensation is that qualified workers are covered from the first day they start a job – there is no waiting period. However, when an injury at work does occur, our readers need to know that the actual procedure for applying for workers’ compensation benefits can sometimes be complex. Injured workers need to make sure that they have the right legal information to make a claim so that they receive the benefits they are sure to need.

For injured workers, one key point must be remembered: report the on-the-job injury to your employer as soon as possible. The procedure for applying for workers’ compensation benefits includes strict timelines that injured workers must adhere to. Failure to do so may lead serious problems with a claim.