Were You Hurt While Working for Sentara Healthcare?
Our Personal Injury Law Firm Helps Sentara Healthcare Employees Who Suffer Work-Related Injuries or Contract Occupational Diseases
Norfolk-based Sentara Health is one of the largest healthcare systems in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast United States. It earns more than $11 billion in operating revenue yearly.
Sentara’s medical providers (nurses, doctors, surgeons, therapists, etc.) treat many patients. For example, Sentara Healthcare facilities saw more than 125,000 adult hospital admissions and 775,000 emergency department visits last year. These numbers don’t include regular patient visits at one of the many Sentara locations in Virginia, of which there were more than 2.5 million last year.
Providing medical treatment to patients, often in high-pressure emergencies, is challenging. And despite promoting safety and implementing measures to keep employees, patients, and visitors safe, Sentara work injuries still occur.
We wrote this article to help injured employees of Sentara Healthcare understand their rights under Virginia workers compensation laws. Whether you are a healthcare professional, a member of the administrative staff, or a housekeeper who helps keep the hospitals running, workers’ compensation is designed to protect you.
Read on for more information, including how to negotiate a fair Sentara workers compensation settlement that resolves your accident or occupational disease claim.
If you have questions about your case or other legal remedies, call us at (757) 810-5614 or (804) 251-1620. See why thousands of injured workers, including nurses and health care professionals with Sentara and other healthcare systems in Virginia, have relied on us to win their claims.
What Health Care Facilities Does Sentara Own?
Sentara has many locations and business operations in Virginia, some in North Carolina, and recently acquired a health care plan in Florida.
It owns twelve acute care hospitals (eleven in Virginia):
- Sentara Albemarle Medical Center in Elizabeth City, NC
- Sentara Careplex Hospital in Hampton, VA (including an Orthopaedic Hospital)
- Sentara Halifax Regional Hospital in South Boston, VA
- Sentara Heart Hospital in Norfolk, VA (including a Hospital for Extended Recovery)
- Sentara Leigh Hospital in Norfolk, VA (including an Orthopedic Hospital)
- Sentara Martha Jefferson Hospital in Charlottesville, VA
- Sentara Norfolk General Hospital in Norfolk, VA
- Sentara Northern Virginia Medical Center in Woodbridge, VA (formerly Potomac Hospital)
- Sentara Obici Hospital in Suffolk, VA (formerly Louise Obici Memorial Hospital)
- Sentara Princess Anne Hospital in Virginia Beach, VA
- Sentara RMH Medical Center in Harrisonburg, VA (formerly Rockingham Memorial Hospital)
- Sentara Virginia Beach General Hospital in Virginia Beach, VA
- Sentara Williamsburg Regional Medical Center in Williamsburg, VA (formerly Williamsburg Community Hospital)
In addition, Sentara Health has many locations across Virginia where it provides medical treatment for primary care, diagnostic imaging (CT scans, MRIs, X-rays), physical therapy, urgent care, neurology, orthopedics, traumatic brain injury (TBI), spinal cord injury (SCI), and burns.
Further, Sentara offers home health care services and owns assisted living facilities.
Finally, Sentara schools provide treatment in the health sciences, including radiologic technology and phlebotomy.
Sentara work injuries may occur in any of these settings, resulting in an entitlement to workers compensation benefits.
How Many Sentara Workers Compensation Claims Occur Each Year?
Although we do not have access to Sentara work injury statistics, we know they happen.
Here is why.
First, Sentara has touted its workplace violence prevention and safety education efforts. In May 2022, Sentara reported:
The total number of work-related injuries have decreased 15 percent since 2018, and workers’ compensation claims have decreased 25 percent during the same time period. The most common injuries – sprains and strains – have improved significantly, a positive trend attributed to enhanced staff education in safe lifting techniques and investment in new patient lifting devices.
Second, Sentara is the employer in multiple judicial opinions entered by the Virginia Workers Compensation Commission.
Third, multiple people list workers compensation positions with Sentara on LinkedIn (for example, workers compensation manager and coordinator).
Finally, our claimants’ attorneys have handled and resolved Sentara workers compensation claims.
What Should I Do if I am Injured While Working for Sentara?
The same general principles, eligibility rules, and notice requirements that apply to others hurt on the job apply to injured Sentara employees. No exceptions to filing a workers compensation claim exist.
Further, injured Sentara workers may qualify for the same benefits that other employees can receive after a workplace accident:
- Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) when you return to work but have wage loss because of light duty restrictions from the injury.
- Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) when you have permanent impairment or scarring/disfigurement from an occupational injury.
- And more.
However, the sections below offer specific insight into what to expect after a Sentara work injury.
Insurance: How Does Sentara Healthcare Cover Workers Compensation Benefits?
In our experience, Sentara Healthcare self-insures its liability for workers compensation in Virginia.
Moreover, in line with other self-insured employers, Sentara employs a third-party claim administrator to assist in adjusting claims, setting reserves, and making litigation decisions (like offering a Workers Compensation Award Letter or forcing the claim to a hearing). For instance, PMA Management Corp. has handled other Sentara Healthcare workers compensation claims we resolved.
We do not know the extent of PMA’s involvement in Sentara injury cases or who makes the final claims decisions if there is internal disagreement. But Sentara likely has a significant role in deciding whether to make a settlement offer and how much to pay to close your claim because it is self-insured and such a big account.
However, if you get hurt while working for Sentara Obici Ambulatory Surgery LLC, 2750 Godwin Blvd., Suffolk, VA 23434, someone else may handle your claim or have a role in doing so.
An insurance verification website lists Carolina Casualty Insurance as providing coverage to this Sentara location.
Who Represents Sentara in Virginia Workers Compensation Cases?
Woods Rogers Vandeventer Black, a Norfolk-based law firm, defends Sentara in many workers compensation cases.
Specifically, attorney Adam Rafal handles these files. Mr. Rafal also defends the Riverside Health System (based in Newport News, VA) and American Airlines in many workers compensation matters.
We have handled many work accident claims involving this defense firm and attorney.
Further, Philip Geib, a Virginia Beach-based attorney, has represented Sentara Healthcare in medical provider applications seeking the payment of medical bills in underlying workers compensation claims. This differs from defending Sentara in such matters.
Should I Select a Sentara Medical Provider for My Sentara Workers Comp Case?
After an occupational injury, the employer must provide a list of at least three doctors from which you can choose. A failure to do so means you can choose who to treat with and potentially force the employer to pay for that care.
Because you work for the dominant healthcare system in South Hampton Roads, the panel of physicians offered may include a Sentara doctor.
Sentara has many great doctors. And the one on your list may be well regarded.
While Sentara has a reputation for good doctors, we recommend exploring all your options. Speak with a workers compensation attorney familiar with each provider on the list. Their expertise can guide you in making the best decision for your case.
While a Sentara doctor may seem like the obvious choice, it’s worth considering other options. If there’s a comparable doctor on the list who specializes in your injury and knows the ins and outs of proving causation in work accident claims, choosing them could enhance the value of your claim. In addition, freeing yourself from the Sentara Healthcare system may reduce the possibility of medical management by the claim adjuster that harms your case.
We give this same advice to injured healthcare workers employed by other healthcare systems in Virginia.
Does Sentara Offer Light Duty to Injured Employees?
Sentara Healthcare has offered light duty to an employee with permanent restrictions and a workers compensation award letter.
Deciding whether to accept or reject the offer is a critical decision that affects the value of your Sentara workers’ compensation case. Before turning down a modified duty position, understand when you risk losing income replacement benefits. The wrong call could result in Sentara submitting and succeeding on an application to stop payments.
Will Sentara Offer to Settle My Injury Claim?
All workers compensation settlements are voluntary.
Therefore, there is no guarantee that Sentara will offer to settle your claim.
However, unlike some municipalities and state employers, Sentara does not have a blanket policy against paying settlements in workers compensation cases. Indeed, we have demanded and obtained Sentara workers compensation settlements.
Will Sentara Participate in Mediation?
Mediation is an alternative form of dispute resolution in which you try to solve your case without going to trial.
We have mediated at least one workers compensation case with Sentara Healthcare.
Therefore, if you disagree with Sentara about the benefits available for your occupational injury, workers compensation mediation could be an option if you have legal representation (the Workers Compensation Commission requires it).
What is the Average Settlement Amount for a Sentara Workers Compensation Claim?
Although various websites provide data on average workers compensation claim costs, the mean or median settlement figure means little for your case.
A reasonable settlement for your Sentara work injury depends on several factors, including the strength of potential defenses, the scope of medical treatment you need, how long you remain out of work, whether you will have a permanent disability that prevents you from returning to your pre-injury employment, and whether Sentara can and will accommodate any such restrictions.
A fair Sentara injury settlement considers the potential value of each benefit and the likelihood of receiving the total amount considering the available defenses.
Should I Hire an Attorney for My Sentara Workers Compensation Case?
We are biased as attorneys for injured workers. Everyone with an open workers compensation claim should have legal counsel, even if the employer and insurer treat you nicely.
But there are other reasons we recommend hiring a lawyer for your Sentara work injury claim.
For example, here are three:
First, Sentara is a sophisticated employer with an in-house legal department. They have handled many workers compensation claims and start with a knowledge advantage over you.
Second, Sentara not only has experience handling their employees’ claims but can also observe what happens in claims involving other employers, insurers, and third-party claim administrators.
As a healthcare system, Sentara’s doctors and nurses treat many workers compensation patients employed by other companies. Further, Sentara has health plans. Therefore, Sentara can see the issues that often arise, especially in obtaining medical treatment for an occupational injury or illness, and manage or defend your case accordingly.
Third, although workers compensation may be your exclusive remedy against Sentara, you could have a third-party lawsuit against the person responsible for your work injury. An attorney can investigate all legal remedies for you.
Therefore, we recommend hiring a workers comp lawyer with experience representing employees against Sentara Healthcare. Most work on a contingency fee, so you pay nothing unless you recover benefits.
Hire a Workers Compensation Attorney with Experience Representing Nurses, Healthcare Professionals, and Their Support Staff for Your Sentara Injury Claim
Sentara Healthcare is a significant employer in Virginia. Sentara is already strong in Tidewater and continues to grow.
Our work injury lawyers accept representation for Sentara employees who suffer harm at any location in Virginia.
Contact us to schedule an appointment.
Your job improves others’ health and keeps them safe. Don’t waste a second; take action to protect yourself after a Sentara work injury.
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