Suffolk County

Turley, Redmond and Rosasco is one of the leading workers’ compensation and disability law firms on Long Island. With offices in Ronkonkoma, we have an established presence in Suffolk County and take great pride in helping our friends and neighbors when they need it most. And our record speaks for itself; over the past 30 years, our disability attorneys have recovered over $250 million for our clients, many of whom live and work in Suffolk County. When local workers suffer injuries that affect their livelihoods, they turn to a job accident lawyer to get them the compensation they deserve. 

What a Suffolk County Lawyer Can Do for You

Our attorneys assist injured workers, disabled individuals, and veterans obtain benefits available to them through several government programs.

Workers’ Compensation

Worker’s compensation is a state-level program that provides benefits to individuals who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. The main feature of the workers’ compensation program is that it is limited strictly to injuries or illnesses that arise out of the applicant’s employment; it does not apply to injuries sustained not in the course of employment. Almost all employees in New York are covered by workers’ compensation, including:

• Full- and part-time employees in the private sector
• Employees of the State of New York
• Employees of non-profit organizations who are compensated for their work

The program provides cash benefits, health benefits, and death benefits. Claimants who are disabled and unable to work for at least seven days receive cash benefits based on the following formula:

2/3 x weekly wage x % of disability = weekly benefit amount (up to certain limits)

Medical benefits provided by the program cover the full cost of the injured employee’s medical care. If the worker dies from his or her injuries, the worker’s spouse and minor children receive death benefits in the amount of two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage for the year prior to the accident. The program also currently provides funeral expenses of up to $12,500 in the New York City metropolitan area and up to $10,500 in all other counties.

Social Security Disability

Social security disability (SSDI) is a government program that is run by the Social Security Administration (SSA). It provides cash benefits to individuals who suffer a physical or mental impairment that will prevent them from working for at least 12 months. In order to qualify for benefits under the program, the applicant must have been employed for a certain length of time and paid social security taxes into the program (known as “work credits”).

Social security benefits are limited to individuals who have suffered “severe” injuries — i.e., those that prevent the applicant from doing basic tasks such as sitting, standing, walking, lifting, and remembering). The SSA also defines “disabled” strictly. It considers applicants disabled when:

1. They cannot do the work they did before their injury or illness,
2. They cannot transition to other types of work due to their injury or illness, and
3. The disability is expected to last for at least 12 months or result in the applicant’s death

The amount of benefits an approved applicant receives depends upon how much he or she made before the injury. To do this, the SSA calculates the applicant’s average monthly earnings and then awards benefits that are a fixed percentage of that amount. Any payments the applicant receives through other programs — such as workers’ compensation — may reduce the amount he or she receives in SSDI benefits.

Veterans Disability

Veterans disability is a federal program administered by the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) that provides veterans with compensation for injuries and illnesses they sustained during their service. The program is available to individuals who:

• Served on active duty, active duty for training, or inactive duty training, and
• Have a disability related to a service-connected condition

“Disability” in this context can refer to:

• An illness or injury sustained while serving in the military
• A pre-existing condition that was aggravated by the applicant’s military service
• A service-connected disability that arises after the applicant ended his or her service

The amount of benefits a qualified applicant receives depends upon the severity of his or her injury, which is expressed as a percentage of the applicant’s disability — this is known as a “disability rating.” Generally, the higher the applicant’s disability rating, the more benefits he or she receives. As of the date of publication, the maximum monthly benefits is over $3,500. 

Contact a Suffolk County Lawyer for a Free Consultation

If you are injured and unable to work due to illness, accident, work-related injury, or military service, you may be entitled to compensation. Enlisting the assistance of an attorney can help you present the strongest case possible and maximize your chances of receiving benefits. To get started, please contact the attorneys at Turley, Redmond and Rosasco by using our online form or calling us at any of our Suffolk County locations: 631-582-3700 (Ronkonkoma).