Five Steps When Injured at Work in Maryland

There are five easy steps that Maryland injured workers can take to protect their claim for benefits.  These steps are fairly simple, but you will be surprised how often some, or all, are not followed by an injured worker, thus causing significant complications in their claim. Step One:  Report the Work Injury When you suffer an injury at work in Maryland, it is imperative that you report the injury right away to your employer.  First, […]

Average Weekly Wage Calculations in Maryland Are Important

How are wage loss benefits calculated under Maryland Workers Compensation.  First, it is important to understand that benefits are based on wage information that is unique to each individual worker.  Hence, comparing benefits with a friend or a neighbor is not helpful. Maryland calculates wage information to determine the injured worker’s “average weekly wage.”  The average weekly wage calculation is based on average earnings per week.  More specifically, the calculation is based on the injured […]

Maryland Workers Compensation Commission Issues Courtroom Protocols

The Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission issued courtroom protocols today, as it moves to return to in-person hearings.  The hearings procedures will be vastly different due to COVID-19.  As the Commission moves to begin in-person hearings, here are the changes in guidelines at hearing locations. Persons should expect to wear masks/face coverings while entering and exiting the hearing location Persons should expect to answer questions prior to entering the hearing location.  If a person refuses to […]

Hernias do not meet occupational disease definition in Maryland workers compensation

Hernia work injuries must occur form an accidental injury to be compensable in Maryland workers compensation.  Recently, the Maryland Court of Appeals decided a case on hernias and occupational disease. Let’s start there.  Under the Maryland Workers Compensation Act, an injured worker can claim an accidental injury or an occupational disease. The definition of these distinct injures are: An accidental injury is one that happens ‘by chance or without design, taking place unexpectedly or unintentionally.” […]

What is a permanency award in Maryland Workers’ Compensation?

Pennsylvania and Maryland workers’ compensation systems are starkly different in terms of benefits and settlements.  So if you have been injured at work in Maryland, what is your case worth? First, while an injured worker is recovering from a work injury, the injured worker may be entitled to temporary disability benefits.  If the injured worker is out of work due to the injury, then the injured worker may receive temporary total disability. Additionally, if the […]

Can Maryland injured workers choose their own doctor?

The answer to the question is, in Maryland, you can choose your own doctor to treat for a Maryland worker-related injury.  Besides wage loss benefits, the biggest concern of any injured worker is their own medical treatment. Because Pennsylvania and Maryland neighbor each other, injured workers often get confused at differences between the two states when handling a work-related injury.  Many injured workers we represent live in northern Maryland or live in Pennsylvania, but get […]

Maryland Workers Compensation Commission to resume in-person hearings in June

The Maryland Workers Compensation Commission announced yesterday that in-person hearings would resume on June 8, 2020.  The Commission announced the following. The Commission announces that we may be resuming in-person hearings effective June 8, 2020. The hearings will be staggered in order to accommodate physical distancing. Exhibits shall continue to be submitted electronically three days prior to the hearing. There is no need to email the exhibits to the Commission or the parties. Public access […]

Maryland Workers Compensation Commission moving forward under new procedures

The Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission outlined new procedures in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Via an Order from April 23, 2020, the Commission has postponed all in-person hearings through June 5, 2020.  The commission realizes the need to move forward with Maryland workers compensation cases.  As such, the commission will allow parties to request a video remote hearings.  A stipulation regarding the request is that both parties must agree to a video remote hearing. The […]

Maryland Workers Comp Statutory Deadlines

When you are injured at work in Maryland, there are specific statutory deadlines that injured workers must comply with to be eligible for workers compensation benefits.  Failure to adhere to the statutory deadlines can have a devasating impact on your ability to collect benefits for your work injury. Notice of Injury to the Employer When injured on the job, an injured workers must provide notice of injury to the employer.  In Maryland, an injured worker […]

What is a Consideration Date in Maryland Workers Comp?

There are stark differences between Pennsylvania and Maryland in terms of the Workers Compensation systems. Vast differences. In the beginning of a Maryland claim, one term that injured workers see often is “consideration date’. There is no such thing in Pennsylvania. Sort of. So what is this ‘consideration date’? Firs, in Maryland, once a claim is filed, the Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission (Commission) will schedule a hearing on your claim. The Commission sets its own […]