While manufacturing jobs are a lot safer in the modern age than at any other time in history, accidents still happen due to negligence, faulty equipment, or improper procedures. If you work in a Western PA factory, you may wonder whether your employer will pay your medical bills and lost wages should you become injured on the job. Contact a Western PA workers’ compensation attorney if you are suffering from job-related injuries as a result of factory work.
Factory workers in our area perform demanding tasks on a daily basis and must remain acutely aware of dangerous machinery at all times. Even employers who comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s safety standards are likely to encounter some job injuries.
Factory worker injuries can occur suddenly or build over time and commonly include:
All of these and more could make an injured factory employee eligible for a workers’ compensation claim. Ask one of our local attorneys whether you qualify.
According to the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, employers must provide workers’ compensation insurance for employees, with few exceptions. Employees who are injured on the job or suffering from occupational illnesses can expect to be compensated for medical bills and lost wages in exchange for waiving the right to sue employers for damages. Factory workers are generally insured from the first day on the job.
Employers in Western PA can purchase insurance from a licensed carrier or through the State Workers’ Insurance Fund. They may elect to self-insure if they meet specific criteria. There may be criminal charges brought against employers who do not provide their workers with the mandatory insurance.
Some employees can request an exemption based on their religious beliefs or because they are executives of the employer. Other exemptions include those covered by specific insurance plans, such as federal employees, railroad workers, domestic servants whose coverage is optional, and agricultural workers who earn less than the minimum required for coverage.
Based on these exemptions, all factory workers employed by private companies in Western PA would be eligible to file workers’ compensation claims. A local attorney could assist an injured factory worker in the filing process.
Factories have been made much safer since the Industrial Revolution, but they are still prone to accidents due to all the components that go into creating products: chemicals, fire, large machinery, and working from heights. Getting compensated for injuries sustained at a factory in Western PA can be complicated.
A local attorney familiar with workplace injuries, workers’ compensation claims, and negligence lawsuits could help. We regularly represent Western PA factory workers who suffer injuries in job-related accidents, so call us today for your initial consultation.
Marcus & Mack
