INJURED ON THE JOB AND NEED HELP?

The Pennsylvania Federation of Injured Workers can help you understand your rights under the PA Worker's Compensation Act.  If you need some information about PA's Worker's Compensation System or you need a little support to make it through tough times the PFIW is here for you.  We help injured workers because "An Injury to One is an Injury to All"!

PFIW MISSION

To offer education about injured worker rights under the Pennsylvania Worker’s Compensation Act to workers and the families of workers who have been injured or made ill at the workplace; and otherwise to work to improve the living standard of injured workers and their families; to support research and other actions that will benefit injured workers and their families and reduce workplace injury and illness; to advance and safeguard the full employment and economic security of injured workers generally; to support, encourage, and engage in support of philanthropic projects or activities which sponsor the purposes of the Pennsylvania Federation of Injured Workers, is the mission of our organization.

WORKER'S COMPENSATION MANDATE

There is an opinion in law that explains what the purpose of the workers compensation act is to be; the only problem is finding a way to get the commonwealth to enforce it.  The following is part of a decision handed out by Judge Robert Simpson:

"The object of all interpretation and construction of statutes is to ascertain and effectuate the intention of the General Assembly." 1 Pa. C.S.A. §1921(a).  The ultimate goal of the workers' compensation program is to make an injured employee whole.  O'Brien v. Workers' Compensation Appeal Board (City of Philadelphia), 780 A.2d 829 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2001). 

Legal Representation!

When it is time to get legal help for your workers compensation claim know the right questions to ask an attorney.  It is important to select an attorney that will go the distance in the legal battle to protect your right to receive workers compensation when injured on the job.  Once you sign an attorney agreement it is next to impossible to change to get a better attorney.  Most attorneys will not take a case that has had a previous attorney.  This is the most important decisions you will make for your future.  Learn how to evaluate an attorney.  Take advantage of a free consolation before you decide on an attorney.

Ask the Right Questions!

WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR CHANGE?

Many times we are asked; "What can I do? I am only one person".  The answer to that is very simple:

1. When a large number of people complain about something it tends to get attention.  Contact your Legislators, both Senators and Representatives, to let them know about the problems you are experiencing and ask them to help reform the workers compensation act for injured workers and not employers and their insurers.  Also contact the members of the Senate Labor & Industry Committee and the House of Representatives Labor Relations Committee.

 

2. The real power to make change comes from injured workers and injured worker advocates who have registered to vote and do so.  Vote for politicians who care about injured worker rights. 

 

3. You can attend the PA Workers Compensation Advisory Council meetings held at the Bureau of Workers Compensation.  Once in a while they allow people who attend the meeting to speak to them.  This council is supposed to write legislative recommendations to the Legislators on workers compensation reform.  Call or e-mail the Pennsylvania Bureau of Workers Compensation for information about the Advisory Council meeting.  717-783-5421 or ra-li-bwc-helpline@state.pa.us

 

4. Join the Pennsylvania Federation of Injured Workers.  The more members we have the louder our voice will be in Harrisburg.

If all injured workers and injured worker advocates would register to vote and get one other person or more to do the same, injured workers would then be able to say; "the abuse of injured workers stops now." 

 

REGISTER HERE!

REGISTER HERE!

CONTACT INFORMATION

Contact the PA Federation of Injured Workers for any information not on the website. Write or call a representative at the following contact information.

KNOW WHAT TO EXPECT

We have gathered information from the experience of injured workers to put together several informational publications.  These publications are available to answer the questions injured workers have about workers compensation. We are constantly expanding the publications section as we hear from more injured workers about their experiences while on Pennsylvania worker's compensation. 

We are always looking to add to these publications so if you have something that you think will be helpful to injured workers submit it to us for consideration to add.

Medical treatment

When injured on the job the employer will send you to a physician selected and listed on a panel physician list that is posted at the job site.  It is important to know that there is a reason the employer has chosen that particular physician to be a company panel physician.  The physician has agreed to treat any work injury with as little expense as possible.  This may lead to the injury not receiving aggressive treatment necessary for a complete recovery.

In Pennsylvania, injured workers must treat with an employer selected panel physician for the first 90 days after the injury.

Get the Physician You Choose!

Pa's Workers' Compensation

Act 57

Workers Compensation Act 57 legislation was passed the same way the recent 2005 pay raise was passed.  It was voted on and passed during the late hours of the night without any public debate opportunity.  The reason for it being passed that way is because it would not have stood debate.

The Legislative Leadership hoped this bad worker's compensation reform legislation would go unnoticed by the majority of workers and it did.  Many workers are under the impression they will be taken care of in the event of a workplace injury.  In many serious injury claims this is not true.  It has become standard practice of self-insured employers and workers compensation insurers to deny a serous workplace injury to save on worker's compensation insurance premiums or for self-insured's medical costs. 

Pennsylvania Worker's Compensation Act 57