Cuts and Lacerations from Work in Philadelphia

A cut or laceration can be a superficial wound or be deep enough to penetrate muscle, bones, tendons, and ligaments. The deeper the cut is, the higher the risk of infection and permanent disability or scarring becomes. These types of injuries occur most often on the head, face, arms, legs, hands, and feet. When the injury involves the head or face, immediate attention is required to reduce the likelihood of permanent disfigurement. An experienced plastic surgeon can ensure that your wound heals with a minimal amount of scarring. Because the head and face are very vascular areas, the risk of infection in these types of cuts and lacerations is high. Ongoing medical treatment is necessary to minimize these risks.

When a South Philadelphia worker is cut on the arms, hands, feet, or legs, loss of a limb is a major concern. Fingers can easily be severed when caught in heavy machinery, and toes not properly protected by work-grade footwear can be cut off when cuts and lacerations are deep. Major veins and arteries in the arms and legs can result in profuse loss of blood that can be fatal if not immediately addressed. Superficial wounds in these areas have a high risk of infection, while deeper cuts and lacerations can cause permanent nerve damage that leads to long-term or permanent disability.

Cuts and lacerations from work in Philadelphia may appear minor at first, but even these injuries can turn into a life-threatening wound should they become infected. Staph infections leading to sepsis of the blood are a common complication of these types of wounds. Many Bustleton workers may initially dismiss the severity of the injury thinking that they can care for it themselves. This can lead to poor infection prevention and multiple health risks. Any time the skin is broken dangerous bacteria can enter the body and cause serious and life-threatening complications if not addressed quickly.

If you are injured on the job in South Philadelphia, you are entitled to quality care. Some employer workers’ compensation plans dictate the hospital, doctor, and medical facilities you must use to receive treatment. The costs of emergency treatment, surgeries, physical rehabilitation, medical intervention, and prescription medications can add up quickly, devastating the worker’s financial health and the security of their family. Philadelphia workers’ compensation benefits ensure that you receive competent care that is covered under your plan so that you can return to work.

If you believe that your standard of care is being compromised, you are entitled to fight for your right to quality medical care. If the doctor you are assigned to does not believe you need to see a plastic surgeon, or if physical therapy treatments end before you are fully recovered, our dedicated team of South Philadelphia attorneys will advocate for your right to quality medical treatment to ensure that you fully recover from your work-related cuts or lacerations.

Whenever you are injured at work, you need to seek medical attention immediately. Once you are stable, you must report the injury to your supervisor or human resources department. Documenting the details of the workplace accident and gathering witness testimony is vital to your defense should your benefits be initially denied. workers’ compensation benefits can be denied, but that does not mean you cannot successfully appeal the decision. Our lawyers work diligently to ensure that your legal rights are protected and that you receive the maximum compensation available to you under the law.

Research indicates that cuts and lacerations may represent the most common type of workplace injury in Philadelphia and across the United States. A Bustleton worker may be more likely to sustain this type of injury when:

• Someone uses the wrong tool for a job
• A cutting tool or similar piece of equipment is not properly secured
• Workers are not provided with the necessary safety gear
• Cutting tools and similar pieces of equipment are not maintained
• Blades of cutting tools are allowed to become dull, which can actually make them more dangerous

Pennsylvania law requires most employers to purchase workers’ compensation insurance so that injured employees can seek workers’ compensation benefits after on-the-job accidents. However, recovering the compensation you deserve is not always as simple as filing a claim and receiving a payout.

It is very wise to enlist the help of legal professionals who have handled cases like yours in the past before filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. The experts at our Philadelphia cut and laceration workplace accident law firm can help you pursue what you are owed in the following critical ways:

Proving Your Accident was Work-Related

Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier is not necessarily motivated by a desire to pay you fairly. Because an insurance company is a profit-centric business, if an insurer can justify denying your claim, they may attempt to do so.

A workers’ compensation insurance carrier might deny your claim by arguing that you were not operating within the scope of your employment when your accident occurred. This would render you ineligible for workers’ compensation benefits.

Insurance companies who employ this tactic are not always accurately representing the facts of the case when they argue that injured claimants were off-the-clock when their accidents occurred. If an insurance company or Philadelphia employer is unfairly trying to deny your claim, we can investigate your work-related cuts and lacerations accident and present evidence showing it was genuinely work-related.

Negotiating

Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier can’t be relied on to tell you how much compensation you deserve. Remember, the insurance company wants you to settle for as little money as possible.

This is another reason you need representation from a qualified Philadelphia cuts and lacerations attorney. We will review your losses to determine how much compensation you may be owed. If the insurance company attempts to convince you to settle for less than your claim is worth, we are prepared to negotiate for a more appropriate settlement.

Handling the Entire Process

Your goal when seeking compensation after a South Philadelphia workplace accident resulting in a cut or laceration should be to maximize your chances of collecting what you are owed while minimizing your burdens. You do not need to take on the responsibility of pursuing compensation from a reluctant insurer at a time when you should be focusing on your recovery.

The team at our Philadelphia cut and laceration law firm will dedicate our substantial resources and expertise to your case. While we do so, you can get the rest you need during this critical time.