Hurt at Work in a Truck Crash? PA Workers' Comp + Third-Party Lawsuit Explained | Ep. 25

Hurt at work in a truck crash in Pennsylvania? Your PA workers' comp claim may not be the only claim you have — and who you hire for each one matters. On this episode of The McMenamin & Wing Show on WWDB Talk 860, host Joe Dougherty is joined by co-host Tom Wing, Managing Partner at McMenamin & Wing, and guest Rich Godshall, owner and managing partner of OG Law. The first half is about the clients behind the cases: why communication matters, how union and non-union workers face different stakes, and how insurance companies use preexisting conditions against injured workers. The second half breaks down trucking accidents: how a Pennsylvania workers' compensation claim and a third-party lawsuit work side by side, why truck data and fast evidence preservation can make or break a case, and why the federal insurance minimum for tractor-trailers hasn't changed since 1980. In this episode: Afraid of getting fired? Why you should report a work injury right away (the 21-day and 120-day rules) Why a preexisting condition doesn't bar a claim, and how insurers "manufacture" credibility problems How workers' comp and a third-party lawsuit work together after a catastrophic work injury Paying the bills during a case: litigation funding, short-term disability, and uninsured employer (UEGF) claims Truck crash cases: "following the money" through five buckets of responsible parties, and why sensor data matters Why a lawyer who mostly handles car accidents may not be the right fit for a trucking case "Absent the most catastrophic event, time helps the defense." — Rich Godshall Quick answers: Q: How long do I have to report a work injury in Pennsylvania? A: Report within 21 days to get benefits back to your date of injury. Wait more than 120 days without giving notice and you can lose the claim. You generally have three years to file a Claim Petition. Q: Can I get workers' comp and also sue after a truck accident at work? A: Often, yes. If someone other than your employer caused the crash, a third-party lawsuit can proceed alongside your PA workers' comp claim. Q: Does a preexisting condition stop a workers' comp claim? A: No. Aggravation of a preexisting condition comes up in almost every case, as Tom Wing explains. Chapters: 00:00 - Workers' Comp Meets Personal Injury: Guest Rich Godshall 01:13 - Client Communication: Why Your Lawyer Should Pick Up 02:39 - Union vs. Non-Union Workers: Protecting Your Job 06:29 - The First Meeting After a Catastrophic Injury 10:14 - Sole Breadwinner in a Hospital Bed: Litigation Funding 13:25 - Uninsured Employers and the UEGF 15:00 - When Six Weeks Out of Work Is Catastrophic 18:19 - Preexisting and Underlying Conditions 21:56 - A Trial Is a Story 24:04 - Insurance Tactics: "Preexisting" and Credibility Attacks 24:50 - Cultural Differences and Earning Trust 31:36 - Afraid of Getting Fired? Report the Injury 32:48 - Career-Ending Injuries and Finding Another Job 34:17 - Trucking Accidents: Where Your Case Gets Filed 37:55 - Following the Money: The 5 Buckets in a Truck Case 41:25 - Truck Sensor Data That Won a Workers' Comp Case 45:08 - Preserve the Evidence: Why Speed Matters 46:27 - Inside a Truck Case: 72 MPH, Cruise Control, No Brakes 49:00 - Amputations and Machines: The Missed Third-Party Claim 50:03 - Full Tort and the $750,000 Truck Insurance Minimum 52:51 - Pennsylvania's $15,000 Auto Minimums 53:35 - How to Reach Tom Wing and Rich Godshall Hurt at work in Pennsylvania? McMenamin & Wing represent injured workers across PA — and you pay no fee unless we win. Get a FREE case evaluation, 24/7. 📞 Call 215-609-4183 🌐 https://workerscompadvocates.com/cont... How to report a PA work injury (step-by-step): https://workerscompadvocates.com/repo... Common workers' comp questions: https://workerscompadvocates.com/comm... Website: https://workerscompadvocates.com Guest: Rich Godshall, OG Law — https://oglaw.com Connect with McMenamin & Wing: YouTube:    / @mcmenaminwingpasworkinjury7094   TikTok:   / thwesq   Instagram:   / mcmenaminwing   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Attorney Advertisement for The Law Offices of Roger McMenamin, LLC d/b/a McMenamin & Wing, LLC, principal office Jenkintown, PA. Attorneys licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania only. No result is typical and depends on the facts and circumstances of each individual case. This advertisement is not, and should not be relied upon for, legal or tax advice. Hiring a lawyer is an important decision and should not be made solely on the basis of the content of an advertisement. Lawyer responsible for this advertisement: Thomas Henry Wing, 215-609-4183. #WorkersComp #WorkersCompensation #PennsylvaniaLaw #PAWorkersComp #InjuredWorkers #WorkInjury #PersonalInjury #WorkersRights #KnowYourRights #McMenaminAndWing #WWDB860