The New York Workers Compensation information is important to all employed persons and every injured worker. If you, or someone you know, have suffered a work-related injury or industrial accident please feel free to give us a call. There is no cost for a consultation and no obligation to hire us. We will freely summarize your Workers compensation rights and benefits for you. We want you to know that compensation adjusters work for the insurance companies, not you. They are all about cost containment, not fully explaining to you all of the rights and benefits to which you are entitled under New York Workers Comp laws. Consult one of our attorneys at the Ugalde & Rzonca, LLP to know your legal rights!

An injured worker in New York is entitled to all reasonable medical care and treatment needed to cure or relieve a specific work-related injury or continuous trauma or repetitive stress or repetitive strain injury. Medical care covered by New York Workers Compensation insurance claims include: medical, surgical and hospital services, dental services, crutches and orthopedic devices, hearing aids, chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, nursing care, etc and prescribed medications. New York Workers Compensation cases cover a variety of work injuries ranging from temporary disability to total or partial permanent disability.

You may be entitled to a settlement for a partial permanent disability award if you have permanent work restrictions imposed because of your work injury or job-related injuries. Medical evidence will determine the extent of your temporary as well as permanent disabilities. The value of your claim depends, in large part, on the extent of permanent disability. Our office will be able to answer the hard injury and disability settlement questions for you, and counsel you on:

• a stipulation and award;
• a compromise and release;
• lifetime medical care options;
• benefits for temporary disability, permanent disability, partial permanent disability, and 100% disability;
• vocational rehabilitation (VOC rehab) job re-training

You should also be aware that if you were financially dependent on a deceased injured worker, you may be entitled to death benefits from Workers Compensation insurance. Death benefits may be available to any dependent household member of the deceased injured worker, not only a spouse or natural child under New York Workers Compensation law.

New York Workers Compensation laws can be very complex and confusing. In fact, there have been many recent changes to the law. On December 1, 2010, the Worker’s Compensation Board instituted massive changes in these forms and procedures. On May 1, 2012, an important Court of Appeals case was decided which effects thousands of claimants receiving partial disability benefits. For this and other reasons, it is advisable to seek the help of a qualified Worker’s Compensation lawyer.

Temporary and Permanent Disability benefits, medical benefits, injury settlements, and death benefits are determined by statutes and laws, specific to New York State. Benefits are determined by earning capacity and degree of disability.

For almost 20 years, disabled New Yorkers have turned to the attorneys at the Ugalde & Rzonca, LLP for legal advice and guidance in matters involving Worker’s Compensation. Generally, Workers Compensation firms handle a large volume of cases and are unable to give their clients personalized attention. This is not our philosophy. We believe that injured workers deserve respect and we pride ourselves on giving individualized attention. This is why we have a multilingual staff which is fluent in Spanish, French, Russian, Polish, Chinese, Bengali, Punjabi & Greek. We also have an open door policy. Any client can see an attorney or paralegal at any time between 9:00 and 6:00 from Monday through Friday in either our Queens, Bronx or Brooklyn office. We believe that when someone comes to an attorney for advice that attorney should represent that client to his best ability and fight hard for their rights. This why most of our clients are actually referred by previous or current clients of the firm. Many attorneys advertise that they handle Workers Compensation claims, but rather refer your case to an “of counsel” attorney. One of our 10 attorneys on staff will always be with you at your hearing, whether it is in Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Harlem, Yonkers, White Plains, Hempstead, Hauppauge, Peekskill or Newburgh.

If you are a member of the Local 3 Electrical Workers Union, by union contract you must proceed before the Joint Industry Board of the Electrical Industry Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. Our firm is one of a handful of firms in New York City that represents Local 3 electrical workers. Please call us to discuss your rights.