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Almost everyone in Philadelphia knows that firefighters are an essential part of the community and would obviously want their help in an emergency. However, for many firefighters who are injured, it is apparently getting harder for them to receive the help they need from workers’ compensation settlements both in Philadelphia and around the state.
For most firefighters, it is likely inevitable that at some point, they may get injured or suffer an occupational illness while on the job. Some say that the reason for this is a new Pennsylvania law with incredibly good intentions, the Firefighters Cancer Presumption Act. This act doubles the 300-week time in which a firefighter can apply for workers’ compensation when he or she suffers from cancer and get the benefit of a presumption that the cancer is related to his or her job.
Unfortunately, since many insurance companies expected the number of claims to increase sharply following this change, they started dropping municipalities to try to avoid having to pay out for large claims. This makes it that much harder for firefighters, who do suffer from cancer as a result of the job, to get proper coverage.
Often times when a worker is in a dangerous line of work, getting insurance can be difficult enough. However, when insurance companies start intentionally dropping specific workers because of a change in the laws, that makes getting a proper workers’ compensation settlement for those workers even more challenging. If one of those workers does fall ill, whether from cancer or other means, that worker will likely want a workers’ compensation settlement attorney to help get the benefits the worker deserves. A lawsuit can be brought in order to obtain a proper settlement, even if the insurance company or employer contests the injury.
Protecting and helping the workers who work hard to protect the community should be a first priorty for anyone. If one of those workers does come to harm from their job, they deserve the most help they can get.
Source: The Daily Review, “State law leads to workers’ compensation drops for firefighters in northeast Pennsylvania,” Joseph Kohut, April 29, 2013