Workers’ compensation insurance is a state-mandated program that provides financial assistance to employees who suffer job-related injuries.

If you’ve been injured on the job, the first thing you should do is seek medical treatment, especially if your injury is particularly severe. After you’ve been treated, notify your employer as soon as possible.

Workers’ compensation insurance covers hospital bills and medical expenses. If you are unable to work following your job-related injury, workers’ compensation insurance may also cover disability payments, rehabilitation programs and job training.

You may be ineligible for workers’ compensation insurance if your injury resulted from alcohol and/or drug use or if your injury was the result of a physical altercation with another individual. Injuries that occur outside of the workplace are not covered by workers’ compensation.

Typically you are not allowed to sue your employer for their negligence. However, there are exceptions to this rule and there are certain occurrences where you can sue your employer or a third-party with civil litigation.

Absolutely. By some estimates, more than six million Americans suffer job-related injuries each and every year.

Occupational illnesses occur when an employee becomes sick due to the nature of her or his occupational duties. For the purposes of filing a workers’ compensation claim, occupational illnesses must directly result from the employee’s work duties.

Yes! The Law Office of Michael L. Studd offers free consultations to Pittsburgh residents with workers’ compensation cases.