Maryland Firefighters & EMT Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Danger is a given in your job as a Maryland firefighter or EMT, one of many public safety workers people rely upon and call in the most urgent, dire situations. As such, you are at an extremely high rate of injuries and occupational injuries. Figures gathered by theUS Bureau of Labor Statistics is proof of this point, as the data reveals there were approximately 7,700 recordable cases of medical conditions in your job sector in 2018. Almost 85 percent of these workers lost days off work, transferred to another position, or worked with restrictions.
Maryland’s workers’ comp system is designed to provide financial support in these situations, and the laws provide advantages for qualifying first responders. Please contact Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC to schedule a no-cost case evaluation today. Our Maryland firefighters & EMT workers’ compensation lawyers can provide specific information, but might also benefit from reviewing some basic concepts.
Maryland Workers’ Comp Laws Protect Firefighters and EMTs
Most employers within the state are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance to provide benefits to employees who suffer from work-related injuries or ailments. Though you may work for a governmental body, you also qualify for workers’ comp benefits. You don’t have to prove fault to be eligible for benefits, but you do need to show that your medical condition is a direct result of job-related duties.
Workers’ Comp Benefits
If you’re a firefighters or EMT who meets the strict eligibility rules for Maryland workers’ comp benefits, you may be able to receive payments for:
- Your medical costs for current and future treatment, including surgery, therapy, assistive devices, and medications;
- A portion of lost income while you’re out of work, based upon your average wages;
- Disability benefits for your medical condition, based upon whether it’s permanent or temporary and total or partial in nature; and/or,
- Death benefits, if you’re a surviving family member who lost a loved one.
Unique Considerations That Impact Maryland Firefighters and EMTs
Due to the risks you take as part of your job, firefighters, EMTs, and other public safety workers have two key advantages under state workers’ compensation laws.
- If you suffer from certain types of ailments, you enjoy a legal presumption that your medical condition is an occupational disease. Your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company has the burden of proving that your illness is NOT work-related, giving you a potential edge in getting approval for your claim.
- As a public safety worker, you may be able to receive a higher amount of worker’s comp disability benefits. Every clam is different, but your benefits could be twice as much as private sector employees.
Learn More from a Maryland Firefighters and EMT Workers’ Compensation Attorney
For additional information about the claims process and your benefits, please contact the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC. You can set up a free consultation to speak with a firefighters and EMT workers’ compensation lawyer. Our team serves employees throughout Maryland from our offices in Glen Burnie, Owings Mills, Ellicott City, and Annapolis, MD.
