JENKINTOWN PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS

The Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act requires employers, or their insurance company, to pay a worker for all reasonable and necessary medical treatment as a consequence of a work related injury. In the case of a serious, life altering injury, the reimbursable treatment includes home and automobile modifications.

The Workers’ Compensation Courts have treated the remodeling of homes and automobile modifications as necessary orthopedic appliances eligible for reimbursement. Of course, a physician must provide a medical opinion that the modification is reasonable, necessary and related to the work injury and this may be challenged by the employer with contrary medical evidence. Nonetheless, if the employee’s doctor opines the modifications are necessary and the court agrees, then the cost to modify the home or vehicle is reimbursable.

Courts have held the following modification costs to be the employer’s obligations in various cases:  the retrofit of a van with hand controls; the purchase of a van in addition to a wheelchair lift and other modifications installed in the van; stair glides in the home, including maintenance and repairs, etc.

The workers’ compensation lawyers at Mednick, Mezyk & Kredo offer all prospective clients a free consultation and case analysis.