If you were hurt at work in Washington, D.C., workers’ compensation may pay for your medical treatment and part of your lost wages while you recover.
You do not have to prove your employer did something wrong to qualify. But that does not mean the insurance company will make the process easy. They may delay treatment, deny benefits, question your injury, or pressure you to return to work before you are ready.
At Donahoe Kearney, we help hardworking people in the Washington, D.C. area get the workers’ compensation benefits they need after a serious injury. We also understand how workers’ compensation works in Virginia and Maryland. Where you file your claim can affect your benefits, your medical care, and the doctor you are allowed to see.
Who Qualifies for Workers’ Compensation?
You may qualify for workers’ compensation if:
You were hurt while doing your job
You reported the injury to your employer on time
Your employer has workers’ compensation insurance
You need medical care, lost wage benefits, or work restrictions
Workers’ compensation can apply to many types of workers, including construction workers, healthcare workers, delivery drivers, retail workers, office workers, and more.
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Where To File a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Filing your workers’ compensation claim in the right place matters. Sometimes where you live, where you work, and where you were hurt are all different. That could mean you have more than one option.
Where you file matters. The state where your claim is filed can affect your benefits, your medical care, your deadlines, and the doctor you are allowed to see.
Here’s what to know:
D.C. usually offers better wage benefits and lets you choose your own doctor. You generally have one year from the injury or last payment to file.
Maryland has different rules for how much you are paid and how treatment is handled. Most claims must be filed within two years.
Virginia has strict deadlines. You must report the injury to your employer within 30 days and file your claim within two years. You may also have to choose from a list of doctors provided by the insurance company.
We help hardworking people across the D.C. area after serious work injuries. Some of the most common injuries we see include:
Torn rotator cuffs and shoulder injuries from lifting, reaching, or repetitive motion
Back injuries from lifting patients, moving equipment, or doing heavy labor
Construction site injuries, including falls, scaffolding accidents, crush injuries, and equipment accidents
Nurses and hospital workers injured while lifting patients, slipping on wet floors, or working long physical shifts
Delivery drivers injured while lifting packages, loading trucks, or driving for work
Warehouse workers hurt while loading, unloading, or using heavy equipment
These injuries often require medical treatment, physical therapy, surgery, or time away from work. We help injured workers get the care and benefits they need while they recover.
How Surgery Can Affect Your Workers’ Comp Case
Surgery can lead to insurance delays, extra medical reviews, denied treatment, and pressure to return to work too soon. This video explains how surgery can affect approval, benefits, and recovery in a workers’ compensation case.
Light Duty Work
Light duty work means a temporary job with fewer physical demands while you recover from a work injury. It can include shorter hours, sitting instead of standing, or doing tasks that do not involve lifting, bending, pushing, pulling, or heavy labor.
You should only return to light duty if your doctor says it is safe and the job follows your medical restrictions.
If the work is too physical, causes more pain, or does not match your limits, you should not ignore that. Taking the wrong light duty job could hurt your recovery and your workers’ compensation case.
What If Your Workers’ Comp Claim Was Denied?
If your claim was denied, do not give up. Many injured workers come to us after the insurance company has already denied their claim, delayed treatment, or stopped benefits.
Our team can help by:
Reviewing what happened
Getting the medical records and evidence needed
Dealing with the insurance company
Representing you in a hearing if the insurance company will not cooperate
Yes, your employer can let you go while you are on workers’ comp, but they cannot fire you because you filed a workers’ compensation claim. That is illegal.
They may lay you off for other reasons, such as business changes or because your job cannot be held. But even if that happens:
Your workers’ compensation benefits do not automatically stop
You may still be entitled to medical care
You may still receive wage benefits if your doctor says you cannot work
The insurance company may still have to pay benefits while you recover
We have helped injured workers protect their benefits even after being let go.
Workers’ compensation and long-term disability can both help if you cannot work, but they are not the same.
Workers’ Compensation
Long-Term Disability
Cause of injury
Work-related injury or illness
Any serious injury, illness, or condition that prevents you from working
Who pays
Employer’s workers’ compensation insurance
Private or employer-provided disability insurance
Medical care
Usually covered
Usually not covered
Income help
Usually paid weekly
Usually paid monthly
When it applies
After an injury connected to your job
After you are unable to work because of a serious medical condition
You may qualify for both, depending on your situation. We can explain how the benefits work together and help you avoid mistakes that could affect your claim.
Workers’ Comp vs. Personal Injury Cases
Workers’ compensation covers workplace injuries without requiring you to prove your employer was at fault. But workers’ compensation does not pay for pain and suffering.
Personal injury cases are different. In a personal injury case, you usually have to prove someone else was negligent. But those cases may include damages for pain and suffering.
In some situations, an injured worker may have both a workers’ compensation claim and a personal injury case. For example, this can happen if someone other than your employer caused the injury.
Get Help from a Workers’ Comp Lawyer Who Knows What You’re Going Through
A work injury can affect your health, your paycheck, and your future. Dealing with insurance delays, paperwork, and deadlines only adds more stress.
We help injured workers protect their benefits and get the medical care and wage support they need while they recover. You focus on getting better. We will handle the workers’ compensation process.
We’ve been helping people in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia with serious injuries for over 30 years.
You’re here because of a serious injury or medical condition. Now you’re dealing with an insurance company. You want your life back. We get that. We help guide you through this process so you can stand up to the insurance company and get back your financial security, control and independence.
Why Choose Us
Nationally recognized, Board Certified trial attorney, Attorney Frank Kearney.
I had a great experience working with Donahoe Kearney. Frank, Paul, and Grace did an excellent job helping me reach a settlement and made the whole process much easier to deal with.
I worked with Paul a lot throughout the case, and he was always professional, responsive, and easy to communicate with. What I appreciated most was how he kept everything short, clear, and straight to the point. He explained things in a way that was easy to understand and kept me informed every step of the way.
Thanks to his hard work and guidance, we were able to reach a good settlement. I would definitely recommend Frank and Paul to anyone looking for a lawyer. They are knowledgeable, efficient, and truly work for their clients. Make sure you read the awesome newsletters they are great! Thank you!
