Pittsburgh Steelers Ordered to Pay Workers Compensation to Former Player

On Behalf of | Mar 5, 2020 | Workers' Compensation |

When you receive an injury while working, you can claim workers’ compensation – even if that workplace is on the football field. If you were injured at work, call the Delaware workers’ compensation attorneys of Pratcher Krayer, LLC located in, Wilmington, Delaware.

It is mandated in the state of Pennsylvania that every employer provides workers’ compensation benefits for anyone who has been injured in during the course of their job. Recently, the former National Football League (NFL) player, Anthony H. Trucks, won his workers’ compensation case against his employer, the NFL, for claims he should be paid as a year-round employee and not a seasonal employee. Anthony Trucks had been injured in a pre-season game against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2008. After receiving this injury, Mr. Trucks was cut from the Steelers roster and never played another game that season.

When pursuing a workers’ compensation claim due to his injury, Mr. Trucks attorneys argued in court that he was a full time employee not a seasonal employee based on the employment contract language. The Pittsburg Steelers had argued that Mr. Truck’s payments should have been lower and calculated differently since he was a “seasonal player.” However the Pennsylvania court disagreed stating that based on his expectations as an active player to attend camps and make media appearances year round, he should receive annual salary workers’ compensation benefits. Mr. Trucks ultimately won his workers’ compensation case as a full time employee, which greatly increased the amount of his claim.

No explanation was given by the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court as to why this case took 12 years to resolve.