Compensation Options For Police Officers Injured On-Duty

Perhaps more than any other profession, police officers expect to face a variety of dangers throughout their careers. From the time they swear their oaths to protect and serve, these brave men and women know that an unexpected career-threatening or fatal injury could happen at any moment while on duty.

A police officer should never have to worry about how they will take care of their family when something goes wrong. And when an officer is tragically killed in the line of duty, their family should never have to worry about how they will survive without them.

What Is The WC Claims Process Like?

Virtually every Pennsylvania worker is protected from work injury-related expenses, and police officers are no different. Worker's Compensation will cover medical expenses and a portion of lost wages.

Workers' Compensation is intended to protect officers who have been injured on the job, but the system has plenty of flaws. Officers are frequently denied coverage for a variety of reasons.

The claims process is strict and requires injuries to be properly documented. Relatively minor oversights often result in denied claims. Officers who have had claims denied are forced to undergo a lengthy and stressful appeals process.

When police officers encounter unexpected hurdles in the claims process, the experienced work injury lawyers of Monheit Law are proud to stand by their side and fight for the compensation they deserve.

Why Might A Claim Be Denied?

On-duty injuries are often traumatic experiences for officers. Even though they are aware of the risk, it's hard to prepare yourself for that first serious injury in the line of duty. In the immediate aftermath of an injury, it's easy to make small mistakes which could cause your Workers' Comp claim to be denied.

Common reasons for claim denials include:

• Failure to report an injury
• Waiting too long to file a claim
• Errors or omissions in the injury report
• Discrepancies between your injury report and medical records

In order to avoid these complications, it's important to report your injury as soon as possible and provide as many details as you can. Additionally, you should make sure to provide your doctor with the same information related to your incident.

If you're worried that your claim could be denied, or if it already has been denied, our experienced work injury lawyers can help. We know how these claims work and what needs to be provided in order to secure appropriate compensation. We will gladly discuss your options in a free consultation.

Benefits For Surviving Families

There's no good way to prepare yourself for the unexpected death of a loved one. Families of police officers are well aware of this risk, but that doesn't make hearing the news any easier.

In these situations, the grief may be overwhelming. While there may be little way to heal the emotional wounds, families are at least protected financially by the following additional benefits in Pennsylvania:

• Social Security death benefits
• Public Safety Officers Benefits Program
• Pennsylvania Death Benefit Payment
• Burial assistance
• Health insurance

Families of slain police officers should never need to worry about how to get by after their loved one's brave sacrifice.

How A Work Injury Lawyer Can Help

Police officers and their families have enough to deal with after a severe injury or death on the job. While grieving, the last thing a family wants to do is begin a lengthy claims process.

Monheit Law's experienced work lawyers are prepared to offer compassionate guidance for these families. We will do whatever it takes to secure the compensation your family needs, while you focus on staying close together and honoring your loved one's memory.

For injured officers, we know what it takes to get a claim accepted the first time or to file a successful appeal if you've already been denied. Let us handle the complex legal aspects while you focus on getting your health back on track.

Related Resources

• What does the Workers' Comp process look like?
• Special provisions for public employees
• Common debilitating workplace injuries