Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
As the largest and most prominent city in the country, New York relies on the dedication of over 300,000 public servants across city, state, and federal agencies. With such a massive workforce in the public sector, it’s no surprise that accidents happen. Even the most careful workers can find themselves nursing injuries from on-the-job accidents.
Our law firm has helped countless injured workers throughout New York get the compensation they deserve. We’re not just lawyers—we’re your neighbors. Our public servant New York workers’ compensation lawyers have seen firsthand how hard our city’s civil servants work. We’re committed to protecting their rights and the benefits they’ve earned through their service. Call (212) 221-1000 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
Shulman & Hill Is Here To Help the Public Servants Who Keep New York City Running
NYC is projected to have over 333,000 public servants in 2025. The Citizens Budget Commission shows that most will work in education and social services, followed by law enforcement and other public safety roles. According to the 2022 Annual Report by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board, the public administration sector produced the most workers’ compensation claims out of all others that year.
Workplace injuries can happen anywhere, even in government office settings. Some public servants get nervous when filing workers’ compensation claims, often worrying that they might lose their jobs or benefits if they do. Others are concerned about how their injuries might affect their pension plans.
Don’t worry. We are here to protect your legal rights and peace of mind while you focus on healing from your workplace injuries. Our firm handles workers’ compensation claims and personal injury lawsuits, so you can get all the legal services you need in one location.
Our legal team has extensive experience helping public sector employees secure the benefits they are entitled to. Our skilled attorneys have won numerous awards in our industry and offer multilingual services to help all members of our diverse community. Learn more by exploring our glowing client testimonials.
How a Lawyer Can Help Civil Servants With Their Workers’ Compensation Claims
An experienced workers’ compensation lawyer can navigate the claims process while you focus on your recovery. Here’s how we can help:
- We’ll navigate the complex rules governing workplace injuries in the public sector. No more scratching your head when it comes to your legal rights and responsibilities.
- Need help reporting your accident and filing paperwork? We’re on it. Missing deadlines can put your benefits at risk, so we’ll help you get everything squared away on time.
- We’ll work with your doctors to gather solid medical evidence that proves your injuries are work-related and backs up your claim. We will also work to ensure you receive benefits for the maximum amount of time you are entitled to them.
- We can help you get the high-quality medical treatments you need.
- If your claim is unfairly denied or cut off too soon, we’ll fight to reinstate your benefits.
- If someone other than your employer caused your work injury, we’ll discuss pursuing a third-party personal injury claim to get you additional compensation.
If you’re a civil servant who’s been injured, you’re likely wondering what will happen to your job, pension, and benefits. Lay your worries to rest—we can help you. Our civil servant workers’ compensation lawyers have years of experience guiding public sector employees through the claims process while working to secure their benefits.
For most government workers, filing a workers’ compensation claim won’t affect your pension eligibility. With us on your side, you can focus on healing instead of managing legal paperwork and bureaucratic red tape. We’ll handle all the details of your claim so you don’t have to.
What Benefits Are Available for Injured Public Sector Employees?
Under state law, workers’ compensation is your go-to for medical care, wage replacement, and other benefits after most workplace injuries. Here’s what might be available to you:
- All reasonable and necessary medical costs related to your work injury are covered. This includes doctor’s visits, surgeries, physical therapy, medications, and medical equipment. You must see an authorized healthcare provider.
- Cash benefits replace a portion of your lost wages (up to two-thirds of weekly earnings). Your degree of disability will factor into these benefits.
- If your injury prevents you from returning to your old job, vocational rehabilitation might be available. This could include job retraining to help you get back in the game.
- If a work injury is fatal, survivor benefits are available for loved ones. This includes some funeral expenses.
If someone other than your employer contributed to your workplace injury, you might also be able to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit against them. This can help you recover damages that workers’ compensation doesn’t cover, including pain, suffering, emotional distress, and loss of enjoyment of life. Our public servant workers’ compensation lawyers can help you explore all possibilities and determine the most strategic path toward fair compensation.
What Is the Timeline for Civil Servants to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
When filing your workers’ compensation claim, time is of the essence. At the state level you have 30 days to notify your employer about your injury. Additionally, state and city employees must file for benefits within two years. Subject to few exceptions, if you miss these deadlines, you may lose your right to claim workers’ compensation benefits. That’s why we hit the ground running. We’ll help you report the accident, file the claim, secure medical evidence, and get you started on the path to compensation. To learn more about workers’ compensation claims in New York, check out our blog and FAQs page.
