Multiple work injuries do not hurt your new workers’ compensation claim in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation. Many of my clients that come to my firm for workers compensation representation had prior injuries in the past at their current job and at former jobs. Does that impact your current case? It shouldn’t.
In Central Pennsylvania, the region is booming with warehouses and distribution centers. We see ongoing warehouse development in Greencastle, Chambersburg, Shippensburg, and Carlisle areas. We see continual development in York and Lancaster. Many workers frequently change jobs between warehouses for better pay, better benefits, better hours and better proximity to where they live. These jobs can be tough and include heavy lifting, bending and twisting, and repetitive work. These type of jobs lead to lifting injuries, repetitive trauma, machinery accidents, and slip and falls. Many of these order selecting or ‘picking’ positions involve piece rates with high requirements. They ultimately lead to work-related injuries. It is common for me to represent clients multiple times or new clients that have prior work injuries. Accidents and injuries happen and they happen more frequently in these warehouse type positions.
They key here is disclosure. Disclosing prior injuries goes far toward protecting and winning your workers compensation claim. Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Judge’s (WCJ) understand the nature of manual labor. They understand there may have been prior injuries. The key is to be sure to disclose prior injuries. Do not deny it thinking it will help your claim. It won’t. It will harm your claim. I have WCJs even include in their decisions that the injured workers disclosed prior injuries which lead to credibility of the injured worker’s testimony.
Likewise, as I have said repeatedly on this blog, a new injury at work to a body part that was previously injured during a previous accident or previous employer is NOT a bar to workers’ compensation benefits. What can be a bar to benefits is lying or hiding it. The workers’ compensation insurance carrier and their attorney will find out if you had prior claims. They will do an insurance search and a Bureau of Workers Compensation claim search. So disclose it. Be upfront and honest about it. These cases can be more complex.
So what should you do?
Be sure to not lie about it to your employer or the insurance carrier. Disclose it to the medical providers you treat with, particularly if the same body part was injured years ago. When you are injured at work, you will be scrutinized by the insurance carrier. That’s is precisely why you should contact Mooney Law right from the start. We can help and will help. It is what we do.
If you have been injured at work, do yourself a favor and get legal representation. Workers’ compensation is a complex area of law. Be sure your attorney is well versed in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation litigation. You may not think your case will involve litigation, but many times it does, unexpectedly. Mooney Law has obtained tens of millions of dollars in workers’ compensation benefits for injured workers throughout Pennsylvania. I personally practice exclusively in Pennsylvania and Maryland workers’ compensation. It is all I do. Call me today for an absolutely free consultation at 717-200-HELP or 717-632-4656. You can also email our firm at info@mooney4law.com. Go ahead and put in your email that you want a free consultation with me. Finally, you can also complete the Schedule a Consult form on our website.
