If you’ve experienced an injury at work, you might be considering whether to hire a workers’ compensation attorney or not. The answer relies on the seriousness of your injury, the intricacy of your case as a whole, and your employer’s behavior or insurance company.
(Learn more about workers comp benefits)
In this article, you will learn about which workplace injuries you can likely handle on your own and when the services of a workers’ compensation attorney are necessary.
When Can I Manage Workers’ Compensation Issues On My Own?
Generally, if all of the following are true, you might be able to avoid hiring an attorney:
- You sustained a small occupational injury, such as a cut that needs a few stitches or a twisted ankle.
- Your employer acknowledges that the accident occurred on the job.
- Your injury caused you to miss little to no work.
- You don’t have a condition that previously existed and had an effect on the same part of your body, such as a back injury from a vehicle accident that existed before you slipped at work and hurt your back.
What Situations Call For The Use Of A Workers’ Compensation Attorney?
You should employ legal counsel as soon as your case becomes complicated in any way. Here are several scenarios that necessitate the involvement of a lawyer:
- If Your claim is denied by your employer, or your benefits are not paid on time. Knowing that many employees won’t file an appeal, employers and workers’ compensation insurers consistently deny legitimate workers’ compensation claims. The best opportunity to get a just settlement or award for your injuries is to hire a workers’ compensation attorney.
- If Your lost salary or medical expenses are not entirely covered by your employer’s settlement offer. The workers’ compensation judge should not be relied on to decide whether a settlement offer is sufficient. Although judges must approve workers’ compensation agreements, they do so as long as the terms are not burdensome. Contact an attorney if you’re interested in having someone negotiate the best deal for you.
- If Your medical conditions prevent you from returning to work, place restrictions on your job duties, or prevent you from doing any work at all. If you have suffered a permanent injury, you might be eligible for weekly compensation or a one-time payment to make up for your lost wages. Insurance companies may incur significant costs as a result of these instances, and they will frequently do all it takes to avoid paying you what you are due. In situations when there are serious illnesses or chronic injuries, a skilled workers’ compensation attorney is crucial.
- If you presently receive or plan to receive Social Security disability benefits. If your settlement isn’t correctly structured, your workers’ compensation benefits might significantly lower your Social Security disability payments. A skilled lawyer will know how to construct your settlement agreement.
- Your employer takes offense after you make a workers’ compensation claim. To safeguard your legal rights, speak with a workers’ compensation attorney right away if your employer has dismissed you, demoted you, cut your hours, decreased your pay, or practiced any other type of discrimination as a result of your workers’ compensation claim.
