JENKINTOWN PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS

Police officers have intrinsically dangerous jobs. When a Philadelphia police officer arrives at the scene of a crime, he has no idea what to expect. While officers are trained to watch for potential dangers, even a traffic stop has the potential to become dangerous. For police officers, job-related injuries are a fact of life.

Top Causes of Police Officer Injuries

• Motor vehicle accidents
• Shootings
• Assault
• Falls
• Job-related illness

When a Philadelphia police officer is injured on the job he has a right to file for workers’ compensation to cover the medical care and a portion of lost wages. The office is eligible for these benefits as long as the injury is not self-inflicted or the result of drug or alcohol use. Families of officers who are killed in the line of duty are also eligible for workers’ compensation death benefits.

Police officers work hard to protect our safety. When an officer is injured in the line of duty, he deserves the protection of workers’ compensation. Unfortunately, many officers are denied benefits and sometimes they are denied because of their own mistakes.

Mistakes Police Officers Make That Can Harm a Workplace Injury Claim

• Not reporting the injury: In order to receive workers’ compensation benefits, the officer must report the injury to a supervisor. This should be done as soon as possible after the accident. Waiting to tell your employer about an injury could cause your claim to be denied.
• Relying on the employer to take care of everything: The precinct may feel like a family, but an injured officer should not count on his employer to take care of him. While the supervising officer means well, he may not be familiar with workers’ compensation law. The insurance company has no duty to the injured officer and may deny his claim over something as simple as a missing signature.
• Forgetting to tell the doctor that the injury is work-related: Tell the doctor exactly how you got hurt and what you were doing at the time of the injury.

After the officer reports his injury, the employer’s insurance carrier will then decide whether to approve or deny the claim. If the claim is denied, the officer’s next step should be to contact a Pennsylvania worker’s compensation lawyer. There are many reasons why workers’ compensation claims are denied. The attorney will determine why the claim was rejected, and help the officer file an appeal, so he can get the benefits he deserves.

Police officers who are injured in the line of duty have earned our support. If you were denied workers’ compensation, please contact Mednick, Mezyk & Kredo, P.C., at 888-807-WORK. We’ll be happy to schedule a free consultation to discuss your legal options.