People who work in Pittsburgh might get a lot of information about workers' compensation from various sources -- some of it conflicting. Many folks might have personal experience dealing from being injured on the job, and want to offer advice to an injured worker about how to handle a claim. While the experience may have worked for a particular person and their situation, the situation is not likely a universal one.
That is to say, all claims are different. Folks who have been hurt at work shouldn't rely on the advice of people who aren't attorneys, even though their experiences might yield some eye-opening anecdotes that people can learn from. Whatever people say, however, there is one key part of the process that is true in almost all cases: People who are injured at work should report their injury as soon as possible -- preferably, immediately.
Of course, for many Pittsburgh-area workers, the challenges rely not in the reporting of injuries but in the recovery from them. Workplace injuries can lead to nagging health problems, many of which might prevent employees from doing their jobs effectively.
There are restrictions on who can receive workers' compensation, such as people whose injuries are intentionally self-inflicted or if an employee is doing something illegal, such as using illicit drugs. In many other cases, however, benefits may be available to people who have been hurt on the job. Injured workers might find that they have a better chance of receiving benefits if they have an experienced attorney on their side.
Source: Pennsylvania Department of Labor & Industry, "Workers' Compensation & the Injured Worker," retrieved March 27, 2014
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