Whether it was a slip-and-fall, lifting injury, repetitive stress, or something unexpected — if your injury happened at work, the steps you take right away matter.

1. Notify your employer

• Under Section 311 of the Act, you are required to give notice to your employer that you were injured at work.

• Although written notice is not strictly required , doing so is strongly advised because if you don’t, the employer/insurer could argue you didn’t provide proper notice and deny or reduce benefits.

• Tell your employer immediately.

• The absolute cut-off is 120 days after the injury (or after you should have known it occurred) — if you haven’t given notice by then, your claim may be barred.

• Practical tip: even if you notified verbally, follow up with a short email or letter saying the date, time, where and how the injury occurred, that it was work-related, so you have a paper trail.

2. Seek medical care / document your injury

• Even if the injury seems minor, seek medical attention right away. Your health comes first — plus prompt treatment helps avoid questions later about causation and delay.

• If your employer has a designated list of health care providers(which many Pennsylvania employers do) you’ll be required to use one of those providers for the first 90 days of treatment in order for the employer to be liable for payment.

• As you file your claim and follow up, keep careful records: the date/time of injury, how it happened, what part of the body was injured, whether you reported to your supervisor, medical visits, diagnosis, treatment, any missed work time.

• If possible, take photos of the scene (if relevant: slippery floor, defect, etc.) and preserve witnesses’ names.

3. Explain how the injury happened / establish work-relationship

• Under the Act you must show that the injury “arose out of” and “in the course of” employment. That means you must show (roughly) that your job caused or substantially contributed to the injury and it occurred while doing something connected to work.

• Be candid and consistent: describe what you were doing at the time, exactly how the injury occurred, where you were, what task you were performing. Employers/insurers often look for inconsistencies or delay to challenge causation.

• If your injury is due to a single incident (e.g., a fall, tool failure) that’s often more straightforward than a “gradual injury” or repetitive trauma claim — but both are possible under PA law.

• Make sure you report the injury even if you don’t feel much pain at first — sometimes symptoms worsen later, and failing to report early can make the claim harder.

4. Maintain good communication and don’t assume everything will happen automatically

• After you report the injury, your employer (or the insurer) should begin processing the claim. Under PA law the employer generally has 21 days after notice to either accept the claim, deny it, or ask for a 90-day extension to investigate.

• Keep your employer/insurer informed of your medical care, any work restrictions, missed days, etc.

• If you are able to return to work (light duty or full duty), cooperate, but also make sure you don’t endanger your health or ignore your doctor’s advice.

• Don’t forget: document everything — communications with your employer, medical bills, treatments, whether a doctor puts you off work or with restrictions.

5. Consider getting legal advice

• Workers’ compensation law (including the Pennsylvania law) can be technical, and many injured workers don’t realize that something as seemingly minor as a delayed notice, or missing a provider list, can affect their rights.

• If your employer/insurer denies the claim, delays payment, argues you weren’t doing a “work-task,” or if your injury is serious (e.g., surgery, long recovery, permanent limitation) — you should consult an attorney who specializes in Pennsylvania workers’ compensation.

• Legal advice can help you understand: your benefits (medical, wage‐loss, permanent injury), your rights for appeal, what to do if you’re denied, and how to preserve evidence.

6. What kinds of benefits may you be entitled to?

• Under the Act you may be eligible for:

  • Payment of reasonable and necessary medical treatment for your work‐related injury.

  • Wage-loss (temporary total disability) benefits if you’re unable to work for a period because of the injury.

  • Permanent partial disability benefits if your injury results in some lasting impairment or loss of use of a body part.

  • Sometimes vocational rehabilitation or assistance returning to work.

• The key is that the injury is found compensable, you followed the rules (notice, reporting, treatment), and you have evidence to support the claim.

7. Don’t wait — time matters

• The sooner you act, the stronger your claim tends to be. Delays in notice, treatment, reporting can raise “credibility” or “causation” issues in the eyes of the insurer or the tribunal.

• Even if you are unsure whether the injury is “that serious,” report it promptly and get medical care — you can always scale back if things turn out minor. But you cannot turn back the clock if notice is delayed.

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Final thoughts

Being injured at work can be stressful, but taking the right steps early can make a significant difference in your rights and recovery. In Pennsylvania: → notify your employer, seek medical care and document it, explain clearly how the injury happened, keep communication going, and if things get complicated — give our firm a call. (610) 814 - 3120