Islip Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Fighting for Injured Workers and Families
Trusted legal advocates helping Islip workers recover benefits after job-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities
Getting hurt or sick because of your job is hard enough. But when you’re forced to fight just to access basic workers’ compensation benefits – while dealing with pain, lost wages, and constant stress – it can feel impossible to move forward. In Islip and the surrounding Suffolk County communities, injured workers in construction, healthcare, manufacturing, education, and beyond are too often met with delays, denials, and confusion at every turn. Even when you do everything right, the system isn’t always designed to help you heal. That’s where Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP comes in.
We know how overwhelming this process can be – not just for workers, but for their families after a serious injury, long-term illness, or fatal accident. Maybe your injury was caused by unsafe conditions on a job site in Central Islip, or you’ve developed a serious health issue from years of exposure in a Brentwood warehouse. Maybe your loved one didn’t make it home. You may be entitled to workers’ compensation, and in some cases, additional compensation from negligent third parties or through Social Security Disability. The truth is, getting what you’re owed shouldn’t be this difficult – but with the right lawyer, it doesn’t have to be. Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP makes it easier to get justice. Contact us today for a free case consultation.
FAQs About Workers’ Compensation in Islip
When you’ve been hurt on the job, having the right information – clear, accurate, and from a trusted legal authority – can make all the difference in securing the benefits and support you deserve. The following FAQ from Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP is here to help injured workers and families in Islip understand their rights and take confident next steps to rebuild their lives.
- Can I still get workers’ compensation if the accident was partly my fault or no one was directly to blame?
- What types of injuries and occupational illnesses are common among workers in Islip and nearby Suffolk County?
- What should I do immediately after a work-related injury or illness in Islip to protect my rights?
- How do I file a workers’ compensation claim in New York, and what deadlines apply if I was injured in Islip?
- Can my employer fire me or retaliate against me for filing a workers’ compensation claim in Islip?
- What benefits can I receive through a workers’ compensation claim in New York, and how are they calculated?
- How do I know if I have a third-party liability claim in addition to my workers’ compensation case?
- What happens if my employer in Islip failed to provide a safe work environment or proper training?
- What if I was injured while working at a job site managed by another company or subcontractor in Islip?
- How can surviving family members pursue benefits after a fatal work accident or job-related illness in Islip?
- Why do so many valid workers’ compensation claims in Islip get denied or delayed by insurance companies?
- What kinds of jobs and industries in Islip put workers at higher risk for injury or illness?
- How long does it typically take to receive benefits after a workers’ comp claim is filed in Islip?
- Can I receive Social Security Disability benefits along with workers’ compensation if I can’t return to work?
- How can an experienced Islip workers’ compensation lawyer help me get the full compensation I deserve?
Can I still get workers’ compensation if the accident was partly my fault or no one was directly to blame?
Yes, New York is a no-fault workers’ compensation state, which means you’re still eligible for benefits even if you caused the accident – or if no one was directly responsible. Whether you slipped while rushing to restock shelves in a Bay Shore store or strained your back lifting equipment at a job site on Route 111, your right to compensation remains intact. Fault only becomes relevant in third-party liability claims or lawsuits outside of workers' comp. A lawyer can help determine if additional compensation is available beyond basic benefits.
What types of injuries and occupational illnesses are common among workers in Islip and nearby Suffolk County?
Islip’s workforce spans industries like construction, healthcare, warehousing, and transportation – each with unique risks. Whether you're working in a nursing home in Central Islip, a distribution center near the Long Island Expressway, or a job site in Bay Shore, some injuries and illnesses appear time and again across these environments. Common work-related injuries and illnesses in the Islip area include:
- Back and joint injuries: Often from lifting, overexertion, or repetitive motion.
- Slip and fall accidents: Frequent in warehouses, hospitals, and service jobs.
- Burns and electrical injuries: From maintenance and equipment failures.
- Respiratory illnesses: Caused by long-term exposure to dust, fumes, or chemicals.
- Crush and machinery injuries: In construction or industrial settings.
- Needlestick and infection exposure: Common in hospitals and care facilities.
If you've experienced one of these injuries or illnesses on the job, speaking with a lawyer can help you understand your eligibility for benefits and whether another party may also be liable, meaning they’re legally responsible for compensating you for your financial losses.
What should I do immediately after a work-related injury or illness in Islip to protect my rights?
Taking the right steps in the first hours and days after a work-related injury or illness can protect your health and your claim. Whether the incident happened at a retail job in Brentwood or on a construction site in East Islip, documentation and timing matter. Here’s what to do immediately afterwards:
- Report the injury to your employer: Verbally and in writing, as soon as possible.
- Seek medical treatment promptly: From an authorized workers' comp provider.
- Document everything: Photos, witness names, medical visits, and written timelines.
- Avoid speaking to insurance adjusters: Until you’ve reviewed your rights.
- Keep a record of lost wages and expenses: These may be reimbursable.
- Follow all medical instructions: Consistency is key to proving your claim.
A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you avoid potentially-costly mistakes early on and make sure you’re on track to receive the full benefits you’re owed for your work-related injury or illness.
How do I file a workers’ compensation claim in New York, and what deadlines apply if I was injured in Islip?
Filing a claim in New York requires attention to deadlines and procedures. Injured workers in Islip need to act quickly to avoid losing access to benefits – and knowing exactly what’s required can make the process smoother. Key steps and deadlines in New York include:
- Notify your employer within 30 days: Or your claim may be denied.
- File Form C-3 with the Workers’ Compensation Board: Within 2 years of the incident.
- Choose a health provider authorized by the Board: Treatment must be documented.
- Keep records of all interactions: Including emails, letters, and insurance documents.
- Track medical progress and missed work days: These affect benefit calculations.
While the process sounds simple, even small errors can delay or weaken your workers’ comp claim. A lawyer can help ensure everything is filed properly and on time.
Can my employer fire me or retaliate against me for filing a workers’ compensation claim in Islip?
It’s illegal for employers in New York to retaliate against workers for filing a legitimate workers’ comp claim. If you were injured on the job – whether in a Medford nursing facility or a construction site off Sunrise Highway – your employer cannot legally demote, fire, or harass you for exercising your rights. Unfortunately, retaliation does still happen in subtle ways, like shift reductions or withheld promotions. If you suspect retaliation, a lawyer can help protect your rights and take legal action if needed.
What benefits can I receive through a workers’ compensation claim in New York, and how are they calculated?
New York’s workers’ compensation system provides benefits to help injured workers cover medical bills and lost income – but understanding how much you're entitled to receive can be confusing. The amount and type of benefits depend on the nature of your injury and how long you're unable to work. You may be eligible for the following:
- Medical treatment: Fully covered for injury-related care.
- Temporary Disability Benefits: Typically two-thirds of your average weekly wage.
- Permanent Partial or Total Disability: Based on long-term impairment.
- Scheduled Loss of Use awards: Compensation for permanent loss of a limb or body part.
- Vocational rehabilitation: For workers who need to train for a new job.
- Death benefits: Paid to family members in fatal cases.
Calculating benefits correctly – and fighting for the full amount – often requires help from an attorney who understands the system and how to advocate for your best outcome.
How do I know if I have a third-party liability claim in addition to my workers’ compensation case?
In many workplace accidents, someone outside your employer may have caused or contributed to your injury. This is especially true in shared job sites across Islip – like retail plazas, construction zones, or delivery hubs – where multiple companies operate together. If such situations apply in your particular case, you may have a third-party claim, especially if:
- A contractor or vendor created unsafe conditions.
- Defective equipment or tools caused the injury.
- You were injured in a work-related auto accident.
- The property owner failed to maintain safe conditions.
- An outside party failed to follow safety regulations.
These claims can significantly increase your total compensation beyond workers' comp. An experienced lawyer can identify liable parties and build a case while preserving your workers’ compensation benefits. You don’t have to choose between a workers’ comp case and third-party claim. You can receive money from both claims if both are successful. That’s how the legal system works in New York.
What happens if my employer in Islip failed to provide a safe work environment or proper training?
If your employer failed to follow Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations, ignored safety protocols, or didn’t train you properly, they may be partially responsible for your injury. For example, a lack of fall protection at a Bayport job site or failure to train a warehouse worker in Holbrook on forklift safety could result in preventable accidents. While you’re still entitled to workers’ comp, these conditions may also support a claim for negligence or a third-party lawsuit. An attorney can help investigate workplace safety violations and identify all responsible parties. That way, you can maximize how much compensation you receive for your workplace injury accident.
What if I was injured while working at a job site managed by another company or subcontractor in Islip?
When multiple contractors or companies share a job site – like on road projects near the Southern State Parkway or development work in East Islip – injuries caused by someone else's negligence can open the door to a third-party claim. In addition to workers’ comp, you may be able to sue the other company or their employee for unsafe practices, poor coordination, or lack of communication that led to your injury. These cases are more complex but can result in significantly more compensation. A lawyer can help you understand your rights and whether multiple parties are liable.
How can surviving family members pursue benefits after a fatal work accident or job-related illness in Islip?
Losing a loved one to a job-related injury or illness is devastating. While no amount of compensation can make up for that loss, New York workers’ compensation law provides death benefits to help surviving family members regain financial stability. Family members may be eligible for compensation for some of the following expenses and financial losses:
- Weekly cash benefits: Based on the worker’s average weekly wage.
- Funeral expenses: Up to the maximum allowed by law.
- Continued benefits for dependents: Including spouses, children, or parents.
- Access to other claims: Including wrongful death or third-party liability lawsuits.
If the death was preventable or involved negligence, additional legal action may be warranted, especially if the fatal workplace accident was caused by another business other than the deceased’s employer. A lawyer can walk your family through every legal option with compassion and clarity.
Why do so many valid workers’ compensation claims in Islip get denied or delayed by insurance companies?
Unfortunately, insurance companies often prioritize profits over people – even when the injury is real and well-documented. In Islip, we’ve seen countless cases denied for technical reasons or delayed until claimants are financially desperate. Common delay tactics include:
- Disputing medical evidence: Claiming the injury isn’t work-related.
- Blaming pre-existing conditions: Common in repetitive motion or exposure claims.
- Delaying required authorizations: For surgeries, physical therapy, or specialist care.
- Sending claimants to biased IME doctors: Who downplay or deny injuries.
- Offering low settlements: Hoping you’ll accept less than you deserve.
Having legal representation early can help prevent these tactics from succeeding – and keep your workers’ comp case moving forward in New York.
What kinds of jobs and industries in Islip put workers at higher risk for injury or illness?
Islip’s economy includes a mix of high-risk and high-pressure roles, especially in industrial, healthcare, and transportation sectors. Some of these jobs can potentially put workers in physical danger, while others carry long-term exposure risks that develop into serious health conditions. Higher-risk jobs in Islip can include:
- Construction and demolition work: For example, near development corridors like Route 111.
- Healthcare and nursing facilities: With risks of infection, lifting injuries, and stress.
- Warehouse and fulfillment centers: Often located near the Long Island Expressway.
- Sanitation and maintenance crews: Regular exposure to chemicals and equipment hazards.
- HVAC and electrical work: Involving burns, falls, and electrical shock.
- Public transit and delivery drivers: With high crash and repetitive injury risk.
If your job puts you at risk and you’ve been injured or made ill, a lawyer can help assess whether your claim is being handled fairly – and if further compensation might be available beyond your workers’ compensation claim.
How long does it typically take to receive benefits after a workers’ comp claim is filed in Islip?
Once your claim is filed, you may begin receiving workers’ comp payments within 2 to 4 weeks – if your claim is approved quickly. However, delays are common in Islip, especially when insurance companies request additional medical documentation, question the severity of the injury, or send you to an Independent Medical Exam (IME) in Suffolk County. Denials or disputes can extend the process for months. A lawyer can speed up the process, help respond to insurer tactics, and demand the benefits you deserve.
Can I receive Social Security Disability benefits along with workers’ compensation if I can’t return to work?
Yes, if your injury or illness prevents you from returning to any substantial work for an extended period of time, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) in addition to workers’ comp. For example, someone who suffered a severe spinal injury in a warehouse accident off Long Island Avenue may receive comp benefits for a time but eventually need SSDI if recovery is incomplete. However, receiving both can affect how much you get from each program due to offset rules. A lawyer familiar with both systems can help maximize your benefits and ensure compliance with all requirements.
How can an experienced Islip workers’ compensation lawyer help me get the full compensation I deserve?
A skilled lawyer does more than just file paperwork – they serve as your advocate through every stage of the process. From gathering medical evidence to negotiating with insurance companies, legal support often makes the difference between a denied claim and full recovery. Here’s how an attorney can help:
- Free case evaluation.
- Ensure your paperwork is accurate and timely.
- Challenge denials or low offers.
- Coordinate with medical providers for documentation.
- Explore additional claims like third-party liability.
- Maximize long-term benefits and settlements.
When your health and livelihood are on the line, having the right representation ensures you’re not left navigating the system alone.
Injured in Islip? Let a proven New York legal team step up for you
If you’ve been injured or made ill on the job in Islip, you deserve more than just generic advice and slow-moving paperwork – you deserve a legal team that works as hard as you. At Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP, we’ve spent over 90 years helping injured New Yorkers secure the full benefits they’re owed. With more than 100 legal professionals on staff, billions recovered, and over 100,000 clients served, we know how to take on the insurance companies and win. Our Islip workers’ compensation attorneys offer free consultations, and you never pay a fee unless we win your case. Whether your injury involves long-term illness, unsafe conditions, or third-party negligence, we’re here to help you get the compensation and support you deserve. Contact us today and let us take the pressure off your shoulders – so you can focus on healing.