Has your workers comp claim left you without a leg to stand on?
Lawyers for workers comp do a lot more than just show up in a courtroom.
If you experienced a workplace injury, you’re probably a little confused about which steps you should take.
You’ve already filed a claim and started seeing your doctor and it’s likely that your employer has told you there’s nothing else you should do. Nevertheless, you can’t shake the feeling that maybe you should contact a workers compensation lawyer. But would that be a waste of time? After all, what do lawyers for workers comp do?
At the Law Office of Brian D. Tadros, we encounter this question a lot, so we wanted to put together a helpful guide showing the many ways that an attorney can assist your workers’ compensation case.
Guidance
Perhaps the biggest benefit of a workers comp lawyer is the advice and guidance they can give you.
Not only do lawyers for workers comp have a wealth of legal expertise, they can also advise you on your particular workers compensation case, such as what obstacles to expect and which outcomes are reasonable.
If this is your first workplace injury, you probably have a lot of questions—and your employer’s insurance company might be making things more difficult. Having the guidance of an experienced workers compensation attorney on your side can make your case much easier.
Communication
Another thing you might have noticed about your workers compensation case is that the phone calls and paperwork seem to never end!
Between your work duties and your doctor’s appointments, it can be difficult to carve out time to do all of the administrative work on your case. But that’s where an attorney can be a lifesaver.
Let your workers comp lawyer take over communication with the insurance company so that you can focus on your recovery.
Research
When issues and discrepancies derail your workers comp claim, they need to be cleared up before the case can move forward. But the insurance company isn’t going to do all that legwork for you. If your claim is denied or undervalued, it is up to you to collect evidence to support your claim.
But if you hire a lawyer for your workers comp case, you won’t have to do all of that heavy lifting on your own.
An attorney can conduct interviews, request medical records, and contact experts who will corroborate your side of events. This is an even easier process if your attorney has been involved with your case from the very beginning, as s/he will already be familiar with the unique details of your injury.
Negotiation
Mediation is an important step in many workers comp cases, as it gives both parties the chance to resolve their dispute without having to step inside a courtroom.
But many times, mediation can be fraught with just as much tension and hostility as a trial. Each party has an expectation of what a reasonable settlement looks like, but those two ideas rarely align. In addition, the injured employee is likely also dealing with physical and emotional pain related to their accident or illness.
In situations like these, having an attorney on your side is crucial for getting a satisfactory outcome. A lawyer’s knowledge and experience with similar cases lends valuable insight on how much your injuries are worth and they are much less susceptible to intimidation and bullying tactics.
Overall, injured employees who use an attorney tend to receive larger settlement amounts than those who go through mediation on their own.
Representation
Mediation doesn’t always resolve the issue, however, and the case proceeds to a hearing before a Judge of Compensation Claims.
If you have little to no experience inside the courtroom, this step can be nerve-wracking. After all, your entire case hinges on this one hearing! Having your evidence and arguments organized and coherent can give you a huge advantage, but few injured employees have the skill (or the time!) to do that.
When lawyers for workers comp cases step into the courtroom for a hearing, they are bringing all of that communication, research, and expertise to work for you.
Protect Your Rights
Above all else, the main job of a workers comp attorney is to protect your rights as an injured employee.
Without a background in workers compensation law, you may feel overwhelmed, lost, or even ignored by the very institutions who have promised to look out for you. When they fall short of this duty of care, lawyers for workers comp can step in and make the process easier.
At the Law Office of Brian D. Tadros, we practice only workers compensation law and our main goal is not only to advocate for our clients, but to educate them on the laws and loopholes that will affect their case.
If you’re unsure about whether hiring a lawyer for workers comp is right for you or if you have questions regarding our fees, schedule a free consultation so we can learn more about how we can help you!
