Special Workers’ Compensation Protection for Pennsylvania Workers

Welcome back to another home edition of Legal Tip Tuesday. Vince Quatrini here today with you, and before I start, the subject today is Heart and Lung benefits and Act 532 634 benefits, two specialized workers’ comp programs. But first, we’re still open, we’re answering 24/7, working remotely, taking care of business for our clients. The Heart and Lung act and Act 532 634. These are specialized workers’ comp programs for certain occupations that are considered high risk: policemen, firemen, corrections officers. That statute has been in existence for a long time.

It protects you, that worker in that occupation; 100% of your salary will be paid to you during your temporary disability from a work-related injury – not just heart, not just lung, any work-related injury. And Act 532 634 is a special protection if you’ve been injured by an occupant of a correctional facility, a mental health facility. Certain occupations, again, considered high risk, we want to protect that worker even more than under the workers’ compensation statute. I want to let you know that that statute has been amended just recently, the Heart and Lung Act, to include a presumption that if you have COVID-19 we will presume it came from your occupation. That is a firemen, a policemen, a corrections officer, and they’ve included the National Guard who is out protecting everyone.

If you feel that you have been injured in the course of one of these occupations, you’re covered, and if it’s COVID-19, you have a presumption that it came from work and not from your neighbor or family member. We handle these cases all day, every day; I’ve been doing it for many, many years. Been to the Supreme Court and back with one of these prominent cases! So, give us a call if you need us. And remember the slogan, stay home, stay safe, stay calm. This is Vince Quatrini, for Legal Tip Tuesday, the home edition.