Workers Comp Claim Denied Or Delayed In Pennsylvania — Here Is How To Move Forward

Know Your Status And Take Control

A workers comp claim denied Pennsylvania notice can feel final, and a workers comp claim delayed Pennsylvania situation can feel endless. Both are fixable with quick action. Liberty Bell Workers Compensation helps injured workers in Philadelphia, the Lehigh Valley, Berks, Lancaster, York, and Luzerne Counties document what happened, demand a decision, and file the right petitions. For a statewide overview of benefits and timelines, review Workers’ Compensation, and use Filing a Claim to tighten paperwork that may have caused problems. If a third party’s negligence played a role, our Personal Injury team can coordinate that claim while your comp case moves ahead.

Denial Or Delay: What Each Means

A denial usually arrives as a Notice of Compensation Denial with reasons like “not work related,” “late notice,” or “no medical evidence.” A delay looks like silence after 21 days, checks that start then stop, or a Temporary Notice of Compensation Payable that ends at 90 days. Keep every envelope and form. Note dates, who you told at work, and where you treated. These details help us prove work causation, disability status, and the correct wage rate.

Understanding your Notice of Compensation Denial

The notice lists the insurer’s rationale. We compare that language to employer reports, treatment notes, and job duties. Pennsylvania generally allows up to three years from the injury to file a Claim Petition, but acting now preserves evidence and income. If early filings were thin, our team rebuilds the record and corrects errors so the case starts on stronger footing.

Your Rights When A Claim Stalls

Pennsylvania expects an acceptance, denial, or temporary acceptance within 21 days of notice to the employer. If nothing happens, we press for a decision in writing, file a Claim Petition to get before a judge, and seek penalties for unreasonable delay when the facts support it. Keep treating, save receipts, and track missed work. Back benefits depend on clean documentation.

The Hearing Process In Plain Language

After filing, your case is assigned to a Workers’ Compensation Judge. You may testify once. Doctors usually testify by deposition. We cross examine the insurer’s IME doctor, present treating provider opinions, and submit wage records to lock the right average weekly wage. Timelines vary by venue, but steady preparation shortens downtime and keeps the case moving.

Strategies That Fix Denials And Delays

Winning cases connect the dots. We secure witness statements when helpful, obtain missing clinic notes from Philadelphia and regional providers, line up diagnostic studies, and use vocational evidence when job offers do not match restrictions. If a TNCP was stopped at 90 days, we act quickly so weekly checks do not disappear while litigation proceeds.

When A Delay Becomes A Denial

Insurers sometimes investigate first, then deny later. We prepare both paths from day one so there is no lost time when a denial arrives. Bring us the letter and all prior forms. We will confirm deadlines, file the petition, and set a schedule for medical and vocational proof.