Content reviewed by:
Alex Shulman
Founded in 2013, Shulman & Hill Injury Lawyers represents injured New Yorkers seeking workers’ compensation benefits. Our Bronx hospital workers’ compensation lawyers have more than 200 years of combined experience and understand the physical demands placed on nurses, nursing assistants, technicians, custodians, food service employees, and other hospital staff.
We can file your claim, develop the medical evidence, challenge a denial, and address disputes over your wages or ability to return to work. Contact us for a free consultation with a workers’ compensation lawyer in the Bronx.
Workers’ Compensation Rights for Bronx Hospital Employees
New York workers’ compensation generally covers employees who are injured or become ill because of their jobs. You usually do not need to prove that your hospital or supervisor caused the injury through negligence.
You must still establish that your condition is connected to your employment. This may involve a specific accident, such as a fall during a shift, or a condition that developed gradually from repeated physical work or workplace exposure.
Our Bronx personal injury lawyers help hospital employees present evidence showing:
- The duties they regularly performed.
- When and how the injury or symptoms began.
- How their work caused or contributed to the condition.
- What medical treatment they need.
- Whether the condition prevents them from performing some or all of their job duties.
Workers’ compensation rules generally apply regardless of immigration status. However, Shulman & Hill does not represent federal employees, including employees of federal hospitals or the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.
How Our Bronx Hospital Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at Shulman & Hill Help
A workers’ compensation case can involve medical reports, carrier objections, benefit calculations, hearings, and pressure to return before you are ready. We handle those issues while keeping you informed about what is happening and what comes next.
Our attorneys can assist with:
- Filing a new claim.
- Correcting notice or reporting disputes.
- Obtaining medical evidence.
- Challenging denied treatment.
- Addressing late or missing wage payments.
- Preparing for an independent medical examination.
- Responding to a light-duty job offer.
- Representing you at Board hearings.
- Evaluating permanent disability benefits.
- Reviewing settlement proposals.
- Investigating a related third-party personal injury claim.
You can contact us at any stage. We represent employees with new injuries as well as workers whose claims have already been denied, delayed, or disputed.
Common Hospital Workplace Injuries in the Bronx
Common hospital worker claims involve:
- Back injuries from lifting, transferring, or repositioning patients.
- Neck and shoulder injuries caused by repetitive lifting or overhead work.
- Slips and falls on wet floors, cluttered walkways, or untreated ice.
- Needlestick injuries and contact with bloodborne pathogens.
- Knee, ankle, and foot injuries caused by prolonged standing or walking.
- Wrist and hand conditions caused by repeated movements.
- Head injuries, fractures, and soft tissue injuries caused by falls.
- Injuries caused by aggressive patients or visitors.
- Respiratory conditions linked to workplace exposure.
- Illnesses caused by occupational exposure to infectious disease.
A Bronx hospital workers’ compensation attorney can review your job duties and medical records to determine what evidence is needed to connect your diagnosis to your work.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits Available to Hospital Workers
Workers’ compensation may provide medical care, wage benefits, permanent disability awards, or death benefits. The benefits available depend on your diagnosis, work restrictions, earnings, and recovery.
Medical Treatment
Workers’ compensation should pay for necessary treatment related to an established workplace injury or occupational disease. Covered care may include:
- Appointments with authorized medical providers.
- Emergency and hospital treatment.
- Diagnostic imaging and laboratory testing.
- Surgery.
- Physical and occupational therapy.
- Prescription medication.
- Medical equipment.
- Transportation expenses for covered medical visits.
You should not have to pay deductibles or copayments for authorized care covered by workers’ compensation. Disputes can still arise over whether treatment is related to the injury or medically necessary.
Lost Wage Benefits
You may qualify for wage benefits when your injury keeps you from working for more than seven days. The payment is generally based on your average weekly wage and the degree of disability assigned through the medical evidence, subject to the state maximum.
You may also qualify for partial benefits if you return to work but earn less because of your injury. We review your wage records and medical reports to determine whether the carrier is calculating your payments correctly.
Permanent Disability Awards
A lasting injury may support an award for permanent disability. The type of award depends on the affected body part and whether the condition limits your ability to earn wages.
Some injuries to the arms, hands, legs, feet, vision, or hearing may qualify for a schedule loss of use award. Other lasting conditions may be evaluated as permanent partial or permanent total disabilities.
Death Benefits
When a hospital employee dies from a work-related injury or illness, eligible family members may qualify for workers’ compensation death benefits. These benefits may include funeral expenses and payments to qualifying dependents.
Deadlines for a New York Hospital Workers’ Compensation Claim
New York generally requires an injured employee to notify the employer within 30 days of a workplace accident. Written notice is the safest approach because it creates a record of when and how you reported the injury.
You generally must also file an Employee Claim, Form C-3, with the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board within two years of the accident. Different timing rules may apply to occupational diseases and other claims that do not arise from a single event.
Exceptions may apply, but relying on an exception can put your benefits at risk. We can identify the filing dates that apply to your circumstances and prepare the required claim documents.
Third-Party Claims for Injured Hospital Employees
Workers’ compensation generally prevents an employee from suing the employer for an ordinary workplace injury. You may still have a personal injury claim when someone outside your employment caused or contributed to the accident.
A third-party claim may arise when:
- An outside cleaning company created a dangerous floor condition.
- A contractor left tools, wires, or debris in a hospital walkway.
- A delivery driver struck you while you were performing work duties.
- A property owner failed to correct a hazardous condition in a location not controlled by your employer.
- An outside maintenance company performed unsafe repair work.
A personal injury case may provide compensation for losses that workers’ compensation does not pay, including pain and suffering. The workers’ compensation carrier may have a lien against part of a third-party recovery, so the two claims must be handled together.
Shulman & Hill has extensive experience handling workers’ compensation claims that also lead to personal injury cases. Our Bronx hospital workers’ compensation attorneys investigate who controlled the work area, who created the hazard, and whether another company’s conduct contributed to the injury.
Speak With a Hospital Workers Compensation Lawyer in Bronx
Shulman & Hill represents nurses, aides, technicians, custodial workers, food service employees, and other hospital staff throughout the Bronx. We can explain your benefit options, handle disputes with the carrier, and pursue any related claim against an outside party.
Contact us today for a free consultation. You pay no attorney’s fee unless compensation is awarded in your case.
