Firefighters perform life-threatening duties each day, whether it is running into a burning building to save someone or responding to a serious auto accident on a busy highway. As firefighter injury lawyers in Pennsylvania, Lundy Law understands that, for emergency responders, an injury on the job can be devastating.
We have helped many firefighters get the compensation they are entitled to under the law so that they can return to work or at least live their lives to the fullest.
Firefighters Injured in the Line of Duty
Firefighters can suffer many different injuries in the line of duty. Throughout the Philadelphia area, firefighters have suffered injuries that include:
- Smoke inhalation
- Broken bones and muscle strains due to falls from ladders
- Burns
- Motor vehicle accidents when responding to calls on busy roadways
- Cancer
Many people may not realize that cancer may be considered a workplace injury. Often, firefighters are diagnosed with cancer after they have served their career as some cancers can have a long latency period and may not appear until long after you have left the department.
However, there are some cancers that commonly appear among firefighters, including testicular, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and prostate cancer.
Pennsylvania Firefighters Do Have Rights
In Pennsylvania, workplace injuries are covered under workers’ compensation, regardless of what line of work you are in. This means that if emergency responders are injured in the line of duty, they must receive payment for lost wages and medical expenses. However, firefighters in Pennsylvania also have additional rights when it comes to a cancer diagnosis. In 2011, the Firefighter Cancer Presumption Law was passed in Pennsylvania, establishing cancer as a compensable disease for firefighters.
In order to qualify, you must have spent four or more years in continuous firefighting duties. In addition, you must prove that you were exposed to a Group 1 Carcinogen as defined by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. A physical examination prior to your starting your firefighting duties must show no evidence of cancer.
Volunteer firefighters are also covered under the law.
Seeking Compensation for Injured Firefighters
Our Firefighter injury lawyers in Pennsylvania, serving the Philadelphia area, have helped firefighters just like you get the compensation they deserve after a workplace injury or cancer diagnosis. Hiring an attorney does not mean you plan to sue your employer. In fact, under the law, you are not permitted to sue an employer for a workplace injury in most places. Hiring an attorney simply protects your rights and insures that you will bet the compensation you deserve.
If you or a loved one were injured as emergency responders or served as a firefighter and have received a cancer diagnosis, contact Lundy Law today to learn what rights you may have. You can arrange for your no obligation initial consultation by calling 1-800-Lundy Law or completing the simple form on our website.
