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Workers' Compensation Millions Recovered for injured workers Across maryland, Virginia & washington, DC.

Virginia & Maryland Workers' Compensation Attorneys

Helping Victims of Serious Workplace Accidents

Workplace injuries can occur at any time. These unfortunate accidents can cause pain, disability and uncertainty about how you will pay your mounting medical expenses, especially if you are unable to work and provide for your family.

If you’ve been injured on the job in Maryland or Virginia, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits to cover these expenses and more.

Schedule a free consultation with a nationally recognized lawyer today by completing our online contact form or by calling (410) 995-1515.

A PROVEN HISTORY OF SUCCESS

Over $400 Million won for our clients
  • Work Injury - Amputation $115 Thousand
  • Case Settled Without Litigation with Broadspire and Crawford and Company Insurance $105 Thousand
  • Case Settled While in Litigation $100 Thousand
  • Worker Injured While Driving Company Vehicle $60 Thousand
  • Worker Slips on Wet Floor $44 Thousand
  • Worker Sustains Herniated Disk $27 Thousand
  • Worker Slips and Falls While Cooking $16.2 Thousand
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What Is Workers' Compensation?

Workers’ comp is a system which provides compensation for medical bills, lost wages and possible vocational training to employees who have suffered a work-related injury or illness.

Workers’ compensation claims can be extremely complex and difficult to navigate alone. As state-mandated, no-fault insurance, workers’ comp entitles you to certain benefits whether you or your employer caused the accident that harmed you. While you do not need to establish fault in order to claim these benefits, it is critical to work with an experienced attorney to look out for your best interests. Your employer and the insurance company want to settle your claim as quickly as possible.

At Portner & Shure, our top-rated lawyers are nationally recognized by the National Top 25 Trial Lawyers, have decades of experience fighting insurance companies, and have obtained more than $400 million in verdicts and past settlements. We understand the insurance carriers motives and know the various ways they try to pay as little as possible to workplace accident victims.

Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits

There are several types of workers’ compensation benefits available to an injured worker:

  • Temporary Total Disability (TTD): If a job-related injury prevents you from working, you may be eligible for temporary total disability. While on TTD, the insurance company pays you two-thirds of your salary, non-taxed, for the duration of your temporary disability. The rate of pay is calculated by averaging your wages, including overtime, from thirteen weeks prior to your accident.
  • Temporary Partial Disability: If you are unable to work full-time during your recovery, but can still work in a part-time capacity, or in another position for lower pay, you may be able to supplement your reduced income through temporary partial disability benefits.
  • Vocational Rehabilitation: If the severity of your injury prevents you from returning to your previous employment role, vocational rehabilitation benefits can assist you in obtaining a new job or position at a comparable salary to your previous earnings. This could involve re-training or additional education paid for by the insurance company. During this process, you are entitled to receive TTD benefits to cover two-thirds of your normal salary, tax-free.
  • Permanent Partial Disability: If you are not totally disabled, but your injuries leave you with a lifelong impairment that prohibits you from returning to anything but a modified position or lower-earning job, you may seek permanent partial disability (PPD). The amount of these benefits is based on a number of factors, including your salary, the severity of the injury, the medical treatment provided, the body part affected and its impact on your job, as well as other considerations.
    • Do not confuse PPD benefits with general damages for pain and suffering awarded in civil damage claims. There are a number of differences between Maryland and Virginia workers' compensation laws regarding the type of injuries which qualify for PPD, as well as the amount of money allowed for certain injuries.
  • Death Benefits: If you have lost a family member as a result of a work-related injury or illness, you may be entitled to compensation for end-of-life expenses, such as funeral costs and lost financial support. The amount of your monetary award hinges on several factors, such as your relationship to the deceased and your level of financial dependence. These benefits center on lost revenue streams for surviving family members, and do not account for the personal devastation of grief, suffering and lost companionship.

Workers’ Comp in Maryland, Virginia & Washington, D.C.

Virginia, Maryland, and the DC area have a separate set of laws regarding workers’ compensation claims. The laws of each state differ on the duration and amount of permanent and temporary disability benefits, the kinds of accidents and injuries which are covered, the statute of limitations for filing a claim and who gets to choose the medical provider. The hearing and appeal procedures in each jurisdiction are also different for claims that involve a dispute with the employer or its insurance company.

If you’ve been hurt on the job, you will likely be quickly contacted by the workers' compensation insurance company of your employer. Insurers act swiftly to try to get as much information on record as they can before you have a chance to speak with an attorney. This can be detrimental to your case.

An insurance company may try to obtain a recorded description of:

  • How the accident occurred
  • The types of injury or illness sustained
  • How and when the accident was reported to your employer
  • What information you have shared with co-workers and others about your accident

All of these items can have a tremendous impact on the success of your claim. It is crucial that you consult with an experienced and knowledgeable lawyer before you go on record with the insurance company. Since the statute of limitations varies by state, it is also important to contact an attorney as soon as possible.

Qualifying for Workers’ Compensation in Maryland

In Maryland, only an employee who has suffered from an occupational disease or accidental injury arising on the job or during the course of employment may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. For example: an employee who is struck by a falling object in a construction accident. The statute of limitations for a workers’ comp claim in Maryland is two years. You must ensure that your employer is properly notified of your claim and that your claim is filed with the Maryland Workers’ compensation Commission within that time.

In some cases, even when a worker has notified their employer of an accident, the employer fails to file an injury report in a timely manner. It is your responsibility to make sure it is done on time.

Qualifying for Workers’ Compensation in Virginia

If you’ve been harmed in a work-related injury or illness in Virginia, state law requires you to notify your employer in writing immediately, or as soon as possible after the injury. This notification should include:

  • Your name
  • Your address
  • The location of the accident and injury
  • The time of the accident and injury
  • The nature of the accident and injury
  • The cause of the accident and injury

This notice must be filed with the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission within two years of the accident.

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Common Reasons why Claims are Denied

There are a variety of reasons why a workers’ compensation claim may be denied. The most common reasons are:

  • The claim was not filed on time
  • The worker provided incorrect or insufficient documentation

Additionally, even if you’ve filed your claim on time, with correct and appropriate documentation and in the proper jurisdiction, your employer or its insurer may still dispute your case by arguing that your injury or illness:

  • Does not exist
  • Is a pre-existing condition
  • Resulted from your negligence (such as being intoxicated on the job)
  • Did not occur on the job site
  • Is not work related

5 Factors That Impact the Timing of Your Workers' Compensation Hearing

In general, a hearing before the Maryland Workers' Compensation Commission will take place approximately three to four months after it is requested. Despite this, sometimes cases will take longer or shorter than others to be scheduled. Even if hearing requests are made on the same day, one may take longer or shorter than the other.

Factors contributing to this difference in timing are:

  1. Number of hearing requests filed for one location within a certain time period
  2. Weather-related cancellations
  3. Number of cases extended after being scheduled
  4. Priority of some cases over others
  5. Having the Subsequent Injury Fund or Uninsured Employer's Fund as a party to the case

Two exceptions to the three to four-month norm are if your claim involves vocational rehabilitation or if your claim is granted an emergency hearing. If your claim only involves vocational rehabilitation, a Workers' Compensation Commissioner will first try to mediate the dispute over the phone within 24 hours of the forms being filed. If this mediation is unsuccessful, a hearing will be subsequently scheduled a few days later.

If your claim is granted an emergency hearing, your claim may be given priority over other cases. Although emergency hearings can be requested for any issue, they are granted infrequently. In order to be granted an emergency hearing, it must be shown that a demonstrable impact will result because of the delay, and this impact must be beyond what other claimants will normally experience for that same delay. It is often recommended to not request an emergency hearing unless your workers' compensation attorney believes that there is a high likelihood of it being granted.

OUR workers' compensation ATTORNEYS

Serving Maryland, Virginia & Washington , D.C
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What Portner & Shure Can Do for You

Consulting with one of our nationally-recognized lawyers immediately following your injury or development of illness can greatly increase your chances of obtaining the maximum benefits you are entitled to receive under workers’ comp insurance. We provide detailed advice on each step of your claim to help you maximize your benefits.

Workers’ compensation may seem like a simple process at first. Although you can file the paperwork on your own, you may not get the full and fair compensation you deserve, or you may have your claim denied outright.

At Portner & Shure, we know how insurance companies try to avoid paying accident victims. Our nationally-recognized attorneys can help you fight for the justice and compensation you deserve. Contact us for help today.

How we can help

By working with Portner & Shure, you can expect professional, earnest representation in all aspects of the process, including:

  • The filing of your claim
  • The negotiation of a settlement
  • The diligent pursuit of maximum recovery
  • Appealing a denial of your claim

We are also ready to help if you are being pressured to return to work prematurely or outside the scope of what your doctor has approved.

WHAT OUR CLIENTS HAVE TO SAY

SERVING Clients throughout MARYLAND, VIRGINIA & WASHINGTON D.C.
  • I PROMISE THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF  YOU.

  • “I highly recommend Portner & Shure for any legal issues! I had a worker’s comp case and I am more than satisfied with the outcome.”

    - Angelica H.
  • “Great firm! Would highly recommend Diane Lazo & Anna to represent you in a worker’s compensation accident. Great team!!”

    - Carlos G.

Why Hire Us?

EXPECT MORE WITH PORTNER & SHURE
  • We offer legal representation in English, Spanish, Hindi, Korean, Vietnamese, & Chinese languages.
  • We have aggressive litigation tactics, skill, and passion.
  • We have offices in Maryland, Virginia & Washington, D.C.
  • Over 30 Years of Experience Serving Clients
  • We have received countless 5-star Google & Facebook reviews.

Awards & associations

  • Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
    Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
  • The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
    The National Trial Lawyers Top 100
  • Super Lawyers
    Super Lawyers
  • Best Attorneys of America
    Best Attorneys of America
  • The National Trial Lawyers
    The National Trial Lawyers
  • Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
    Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
  • 5-Star Google Reviews
    5-Star Google Reviews
  • Lead Counsel Rated
    Lead Counsel Rated
  • Maryland Association for Justice
    Maryland Association for Justice
  • 10 Best Client Satisfaction Award 2016-2021
    10 Best Client Satisfaction Award 2016-2021
  • 10 Best Client Satisfaction Award 2016-2021
    10 Best Client Satisfaction Award 2016-2021
  • American Association for Justice
    American Association for Justice
  • Avvo Rating Top Attorney
    Avvo Rating Top Attorney
  • Avvo Superb Rating Top Attorney
    Avvo Superb Rating Top Attorney
  • US News & World Report Best Law Firms 2019
    US News & World Report Best Law Firms 2019
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum - Jonathan Portner
    Million Dollar Advocates Forum - Jonathan Portner
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We Know the Legal System Can Be Intimidating

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