Injured workers already receive reduced income based on a certain percentage of gross weekly wages, as defined by the Pennsylvania Department of Labor. Work injuries are already devastating enough, physically, emotionally, and mentally. It can also be financially devastating when insurance companies do not send workers’ compensation checks in a timely manner.
So what can you do it if your workers’ compensation checks are late? Or infrequent? Or, they simply just stop paying?
Just like everyone else, injured workers still have bills, rent and mortgage payments to pay every month. Monthly bills do not just stop because of a work injury. Late workers’ compensation checks can lead to late bills, accrued interest, closed accounts, and insufficient fund notices from banks. You do not need to put up with it and hope for the best. If you are having a problems getting your workers’ compensation check in a timely manner, call Mooney Law today for a free consultation.
What can we do? A few things. First, we can call the insurance adjuster and get payments straightened out to ensure timely payments. Second, we can also file a Penalty Petition on behalf of the injured worker. Delaying of worker’s compensation checks are a common abuse. Sometimes it is just a simple mistake that is easily corrected. However, other times, it is purposeful abuse to irritate you, or make your life harder, or make you want to give up your workers compensation rights and walk away or accept some nominal settlement. Regardless of the excuse, you do not need to accept it. Unilateral cessation of paying wage loss benefits or making untimely payments is a violation of the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. We can take litigation action to hold the insurance carrier accountable. We will make it quite clear that check delays or failure to make payments will not be tolerated.
Once a claim is deemed to be compensable, you should receive your wage loss benefit checks on or before the day that your normal paycheck would have been issued. If not, insurance companies will be held liable for statutory interest on past due benefits. That statutory interest can rise to as much as 50 percent of the amount if the delay is deemed to be unreasonable or excessive by a Workers’ Compensation Judge.
Don’t sit and wait and wonder where your check is. If you’ve had an injury at work and your age loss benefits are late or sporadic, call us for help. We stand ready to fight for your benefits. Call today at 717-632-4656 or 717-200-HELP. You can also email us at info@mmooney4law.com. For more information, visit our website.
