What Warehouse Employees In Allentown Should Do After A Work Injury
Warehouse workers in Allentown face serious risks for work-related injuries, including lifting injuries, repetitive stress injuries, slip and falls, and equipment accidents. If you are injured while working in a warehouse in Allentown, Pennsylvania, seeking medical treatment, reporting the injury, and understanding your workers’ compensation rights are critical.
Working in a warehouse is no easy task. Along with being physically demanding, warehouses are notorious for work injuries like slip and falls, equipment malfunctions, lifting injuries, and repetitive trauma injuries. If you work in a warehouse in the Allentown area, it is imperative that you act quickly and know what steps to take following a work injury to protect your rights under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act.
Seek Medical Treatment
Whether the injury is minor or catastrophic, the most important thing to do after a work injury is to seek medical treatment. Your health is always the top priority. Furthermore, waiting too long to receive treatment or failing to seek care altogether could jeopardize your entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits.
If the injury is substantial, go to the emergency room or call an ambulance. For Allentown warehouse workers with serious injuries, emergency care is available at Lehigh Valley – Cedar Crest, St. Luke’s – Allentown, St. Luke’s – Bethlehem, and Lehigh Valley – 17th Street.
If your injury is not life-threatening or causing severe pain, you may visit your primary care provider or an urgent care facility. Examples include St. Luke’s Care Now – Allentown, LVHN ExpressCARE – Tilghman, and Patient First – Allentown.
The sooner you seek care for your work injury, the better. Prompt treatment creates a record of your injury and helps future providers understand your condition. It is also essential to tell each medical provider that the injury occurred at work and to provide the date of injury. This helps establish that the injury is work-related and not caused by an outside incident or pre-existing condition.
Importantly, while many assume they must treat with their employer’s panel providers following a work injury, that is not the case in Pennsylvania. Injured workers may treat with any provider they choose.
Report the Injury
To be eligible for workers’ compensation in Pennsylvania, your employer must be notified of your work injury. Under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act, you have 120 days from the date of injury to report it to your employer. It is always best to notify a supervisor, manager, or safety officer as soon as possible.
When reporting your injury, provide the date, time, location, a description of what you were doing, and the body part(s) injured. Verbal reports may suffice, but it is always better to document the incident in writing. A text message, email, or incident report will help create a record.
Document Everything
Warehouse environments change quickly, and co-worker turnover can be high. If possible, take photos of what caused your injury, such as a puddle on the floor or malfunctioning equipment. Write down the names of any co-workers who witnessed the incident. It is also helpful to keep notes about medical providers you see and when you see them.
Hold onto any documents related to your injury, including incident reports and emails to your employer. Keep all work notes from your medical providers and give copies to your employer.
Talk to a Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
If you are injured in the course and scope of your employment, you are entitled to benefits under the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. These benefits may include wage loss benefits, medical benefits, and specific loss benefits. However, your eligibility could be jeopardized if you delay reporting or skip any of the steps above.
Employers and insurance carriers may deny your claim or attempt to force you back to work in a position you cannot safely perform. In a warehouse setting, you may also feel pressure from supervisors or co-workers to return to work before you are ready.
If you have been injured at work in a warehouse in Allentown, you should seek assistance from a workers’ compensation attorney. You do not need to go through this alone. The attorneys at Stern & Cohen are here to help.
Our team has extensive experience representing injured warehouse workers in Allentown. We will guide you through every step to ensure you receive the benefits you are entitled to. If you suffered an injury from a work-related accident, contact us for a free consultation.
FAQs
What should I do immediately after a warehouse injury in Allentown?
The first step is to seek medical treatment and report the injury to your employer as soon as possible. Prompt medical care helps protect your health and creates important documentation for your workers’ compensation claim.
How long do I have to report a warehouse work injury in Pennsylvania?
Under Pennsylvania law, injured workers generally have up to 120 days to report a work injury to their employer. However, reporting the injury as soon as possible can help avoid delays and protect your right to benefits.
Can warehouse workers receive workers’ compensation benefits in Pennsylvania?
Yes. Warehouse workers injured while performing job-related duties may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, including medical treatment and wage-loss benefits.
What are the most common warehouse injuries?
Common warehouse injuries include lifting injuries, back injuries, slip and fall accidents, forklift accidents, repetitive stress injuries, falling object injuries, shoulder injuries, and knee injuries.
Do I have to prove my employer was at fault to receive workers’ compensation?
No. Pennsylvania workers’ compensation is generally a no-fault system. You may be eligible for benefits even if the workplace accident was not caused by your employer.