Petitions To Terminate, Suspend, Or Modify Workers Comp Benefits In Pennsylvania

Understand Each Petition And Your Next Move

A petition to terminate workers compensation benefits PA claims full recovery and aims to end checks and medical payments. A suspension petition usually follows a light duty offer or a return to work at prior wages and targets wage loss. A modification petition argues you have earning power after a vocational interview and tries to reduce weekly pay. Liberty Bell Workers Compensation steps in to secure treating provider opinions, test the insurer’s evidence, and keep your case moving. For a broader view of rights and timelines, read Workers’ Compensation, then tighten paperwork with Filing a Claim if early forms were thin. If a negligent driver or property owner played a role, our Personal Injury team can coordinate that claim while the comp case proceeds.

Termination Petitions: Ime Says “Fully Recovered”

Insurers file termination after an IME report asserts full recovery. Benefits do not vanish the day you receive the paperwork. The case moves to a judge, and payments often continue during litigation unless a special request is granted. We answer on time, gather updated imaging and treatment notes, and prepare you for a single testimony hearing while doctors testify by deposition. Cross examination focuses on the IME’s limited exam time, missing records, and inconsistencies with your daily function.

Suspension Petitions: Light Duty And Return-To-Work Issues

A suspension filing argues you can work. We obtain the written job description, confirm commute, shifts, lifting and postural demands, and have your doctor weigh in on whether the offer fits restrictions. If you returned at the same pay but still have medical limits, we defend ongoing treatment. If you earn less because of injury, we fight to convert a full stop into partial benefits instead of losing checks entirely.

Modification Petitions: Vocational Interviews And Earning Power

After a vocational interview, the insurer may list jobs and wages to cut your rate. We verify whether those jobs actually exist, are hiring now, and match your limits and background. When a report inflates availability or ignores real restrictions, we expose gaps and present treating physician opinions that reflect true capacity. If you work limited hours or at reduced pay, we protect the correct partial disability rate.

What To Expect At Hearings And How We Prepare

Your case is assigned to a Workers’ Compensation Judge. You testify once about the incident, treatment, and limits. Doctors testify by deposition. We assemble wage records to lock your average weekly wage, organize medical proof, prepare you for questions, and maintain steady status updates so there are no surprises as the case moves through Philadelphia, Allentown, Reading, Lancaster, York, and Wilkes-Barre venues.

Outcomes, Appeals, And Smart Settlement Timing

If termination is granted, checks and usually medical end from a set date. If suspension is granted, wage loss may stop but medical can continue. If modification is granted, weekly checks may drop based on theoretical wages. We pursue appeals where the record supports it and, when a negotiated resolution is the smarter path, we explain timing, numbers, and any impact on Social Security Disability or future medical before you decide.