Recent Case Results June 2018

On February 13, 2016, one of our clients was working as a forklift driver. His job required that he placed wood in metal boxes that would then be chipped up by large blades which turn the materials into wood shavings and mulch to be sold. As he attempted to change the blades on the machine, his right foot was horrifically amputated.

Portner & Shure fought to ensure that our client received all necessary medical treatment along with a prosthetic, which thankfully he is becoming accustomed to. We also fought to make sure that our client’s lost wages were taken care of.

When his doctor concluded his treatment, our firm was able to put approximately $122K in his pocket. Along with yearly medical coverage of $11K that will last for the rest of his life. Needless to say, our client was more than thankful he retained Portner & Shure for representation.

Recent Case Results March 2018

Earlier this month, one of our attorneys, Ms. Theresa Teixeira, took a claim to the Workers Compensation Commission for one of our clients who was injured last year on the job. While working as a caretaker, she fell and caused significant damage to her knee. Due to the fact she is middle aged, her doctor did state she had a lot of degenerative changes, however, it was because of her work related injury that she now needed a total knee replacement.  The employers’ insurance company denied paying for the surgery due to her degenerative changes, even though their own doctor stated need for the replacement was at least 50% because of her work injury. On the eve of the hearing, the insurance company got the doctor to write an addendum to his report, making it now read that our client may need the surgery, however it was not related to the work injury. After Attorney Theresa Teixeira made a strong argument before the Commission, the Commission ruled in our clients favor, the insurance carrier now has to pay for the total knee replacement. This increases her permanency rating which adds significant value to her case.

Recent Case Results October 2017

Recently, Portner & Shure settled a workers compensation claim where the Client was injured while doing some heavy duty lifting for his job. The injury was so severe, he had 6 surgeries to begin with, but complications lead him to having 8 surgeries. Although he has recovered for the time being, his ability to return to treatment for his injury remains open and he was approved for social security disability benefits. His total award from the Workers’ Compensation Commission was $272,000.00. This case was handled out of our Columbia, MD office by our Paralegal, Mrs. Pamela Brown and Attorney, Ms. Theresa Teixeira. 

Why Choose Portner & Shure for your Frederick Workers' Compensation Case

Suffering an injury while on the job can be devastating, possibly even life changing. From the pain and suffering to the sky-rocketing bills, the last thing anyone should have to deal with is arguing with the insurance company for compensation you deserve. When you've suffered an injury, the only thing you should have to worry about is getting the necessary medical treatment until you are better. Workers' compensation claims can often be confusing and frustrating.If you don't have an experienced workers' compensation attorney handling your claim, you could miss out on benefits and payments, or even worse, your claim could be denied altogether. 

With Portner & Shure, you get the expertise and resources of a nationally recognized law firm with the personal touch of a local office right in your backyard, staffed by experienced Frederick locals who are deeply rooted in the community and active in local charities and events. Our attorneys appear before the Workers' Compensation Commission regularly, battling the big insurance companies in the process.

If you've been injured on the job in Frederick, don't put your claim at risk and hire the experienced attorneys at Portner & Shure to help you get the compensation and benefits you deserve. Call today for a free consultation: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.

What Are the Steps in a Workers' Compensation Claim Process?

If you've been injured on the job and are trying to hire an attorney to handle your case, you may be wondering how that process works once a claim has been filed. Do I have to go to court? Will I receive compensation? How long will the process last?

The first thing you must do after suffering an injury on the job is to report that injury to your supervisor. It is extremely important to have documentation of the injury happening at work.

Once the injury report has been created at your job, the first step in the claim process is actually filing the claim with the employer’s insurance carrier.  The carrier will then either accept or deny that the worker’s injury, illness, or fatality is work related.  If the carrier denies the claim because they do not believe the injury is work-related, the disputed claim could end up in a hearing before the Workers’ Compensation Commission (WCC).

            

For an accepted claim, medical care and treatment for the injured employee is paid by the insurance carrier.  The injured worker will also receive compensation benefits to partially replace wages that would have been lost because of the injury.

            

Second, the employer has 10 days after being notified of the employee’s accidental death or injury to file the first report of injury.  This is then followed by the filing of the employee’s compensation claim with the WCC.  Within 21 days of this filing, the employer and/or the insurer pay the benefits to the employee, or instead, they may file contesting issues if they are disputing the claim.  While a claim is being processed by the WCC, the commission will, within 30 days, issue an award or schedule the case for a hearing because contesting issues were filed.

            

Following a WCC hearing, the commission will issue an order, which may or may not include an award, depending on their ruling.

If you have suffered injuries while on the job, don't let this stressful time worry you, and make sure you hire an experienced workers' compensation law firm to handle the claim and get you the money you deserve. Call Portner & Shure today for a free consultation: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.

What Portner & Shure Can Do For You in Your Workers’ Compensation Case

Portner & Shure attorneys have handled countless workers' compensation cases throughout Maryland and Virginia over the last 2+ decades. With that comes immense experience appearing before the Workers' Compensation Commission. Workers' compensation laws are very complex and difficult to understand, and that is why it is extremely important to hire an experienced attorney to handle your case and explain how everything works.

Workers' compensation law allows injured employees to be compensated based on their injuries and any permanency related to their injuries. Whether you are entitled to temporary total disability benefits or permanent partial disability benefits, you an rest assured that your attorney will fight for every benefit possible in your case.

Without an attorney to advise you, you risk saying something or doing something that can have a detrimental impact on your claim. Your attorney will counsel you on how to deal with the workers' compensation insurance carrier and with your employer.

If you've been hurt on the job, call to speak with one of our nationally-recognized workers' compensation attorneys at Portner & Shure today for a free consultation. Don't let the insurance company bully you into returning to work too soon or avoid paying you the benefits you are entitled. Call now: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.

Work Zone Accidents: What to do if you're Injured in a Work Zone

As we have moved into spring, you may have noticed a lot of road work around the area. This is prime time for road work repairs to occur because the weather is warm and the roads that were damaged during the winter need repair.

Recently, Maryland's Transportation Authority held a work zone safety week to bring awareness to the dangers of driving in and around work zones on highways and area roads. Many drivers ignore signs for reduced speed or caution when driving through work zones, and as a result, serious accidents involving road work crews occur. Workers have very little, if any, protection when they are doing their job in the work area. Cars can pass through at high speeds, and if they make one mistake, they can crash into one of these workers, causing serious, and sometimes fatal, injuries.

If you are injured by a motor vehicle while working in a construction zone, you have two potential claims: a workers' compensation claim and a personal injury claim against the at-fault driver. In order to bring a workers' compensation claim, a person must have been on the job, performing an activity within the scope of their job, and the worker must have reported the accident to their supervisor. A workers' compensation claim is handled much differently than a personal injury claim. There are different benefits that an injured worker that was hurt on the job can receive in a workers' compensation case compared to a personal injury case.

Hiring an attorney that is experienced in both workers' compensation claims and personal injury claims for auto accidents is very important to ensure you obtain favorable outcomes in both types of cases. If you've been injured while working in a construction zone, call the attorneys at Portner & Shure today for a free consultation: (301) 854-9000, (410) 995-1515.