Teachers are some of the most dedicated public workers who devote their lives to educating our nation’s young people. They work long hours, often staying after school to lead extracurricular activities. There are plenty of hazards within schools that can cause work accidents and lead to injuries. An above-average risk for workplace violence is also a reality facing teachers.
Many teachers must also accompany students outside the school on class trips, which can be as short as an hour with young children, or for an entire week with older students. School trips for sports like skiing, and the travel required to get there, are not without risk for accidents.
These are some of the most common work accidents that can befall teachers and their resulting injuries:
Teachers can also develop occupational illnesses from working in an old building that contains materials made with asbestos, or from exposure to chemicals used for cleaning and sanitizing. An occupational illness is a medical condition that develops over time from constant exposure to toxic substances.
If you are injured or develop an occupational illness in the course of your work as a teacher, you must report your injury to your supervisor and complete an accident/injury report. Incidents of physical assault or other safety incidents require additional reporting.
Workers’ Compensation benefits are available to teachers in Pennsylvania through the Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Act. It is important to file for your Workers’ Compensation benefits immediately because if your injury recurs, but you never filed a claim, there will have been no record established and it may be difficult for you to receive medical benefits.
It is not required that you use a Workers’ Compensation lawyer to file your claim, however, there are time limits for filing a claim for your work-related injury. Working with an experienced Workers’ Compensation attorney can relieve you of the stress of navigating the system alone – especially if your claim is denied on a technicality.
A successful claim can provide you with some or all of the following benefits:
At Gross & Kenny, LLP our entire practice is dedicated to helping injured workers. Our experienced Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Lawyers can make a difference when it comes to the success of your claim. Call 267-589-0090 today or contact us online to schedule your free initial consultation in our Philadelphia, Pennsylvania office. We serve injured service industry employees throughout the state.