I have mentioned the importance of having a lawyer help you in a Workers’ Compensation case.
Although most people should know how important it is to seek sound advice when they are injured, statistics show that many people fail to do so.
Here are the four most common reasons that people don’t seek a lawyer’s help after they have been injured:
- I am not sure I really need a lawyer.
- I don’t know any lawyers and don’t really know where to begin to find one.
- I’m not sure I can trust a lawyer to help me and treat me fairly.
- I believe the Insurance company, who told me I would end up with less money if I hire a lawyer to help me with my case.
I hope by now you understand why you need a lawyer’s help if you have a work-related injury. It is a complicated system, and the employer and the Insurance company will not be working to make sure you receive the maximum benefits that you are entitled to. There are many experienced and honest lawyers who understand Workers’ Compensation law, and the tactics that Insurance companies use to wrongfully deny a claim or devalue a claim to keep their own financial responsibility as low as possible. While a lawyer will usually get a portion of the money you collect from the Insurance company, a good lawyer can dramatically increase your chances of winning your workers comp case and help you collect substantially more than you will likely recover on your own.
From the minute you give your Employer notice that you have been injured on the job, you may encounter a hostile and adversarial system. Insurance companies have a host of people working for them whose job is to look for ways to deny your claim or minimize your injuries. In fact, Insurance companies can hire private investigators to spy on you to see if you are as injured as you say you are! The Insurance company’s goal is to pay as little as possible and get you back to work as quickly as possible, regardless of whether you are truly able to do so.
You or someone you know may have had a bad experience with a lawyer in the past and maybe reluctant to seek out a lawyer now. You may be thinking you can just handle the case yourself. You may be able to do so. But many people end up seeking a lawyer at some point later in their case when they realize it has become complicated and they don’t understand what is happening, or how to advocate for themselves. Waiting too late to bring a lawyer in can be very damaging to an otherwise strong case. An injured worker can easily make innocent mistakes, like giving a statement to an insurance adjuster, that can’t be undone. The longer you wait to seek a lawyer’s help, the harder it can be to gather witness statements and strong evidence that you will need to fight the Insurance company or to make sure the medical aspects of the case are strong. There are also time limits for filing claims, and once they have passed, it’s too late.
Insurance Companies are powerful, and they know the loopholes.
They have a host of strategies designed to keep them from paying out any more money than they have to. Hiring an experienced Workers’ Compensation lawyer will help you level the playing field and increase the chances of winning your case and receiving all the benefits that the law provides.
Having said all that, if you were injured at work and your injuries were small – necessitating minimal medical care, you probably do not need to hire a lawyer at all. If you only needed a couple of doctor’s visits, have only lost a few days work, and are fine now and back at work, you probably don’t need to hire a lawyer. Even so, there’s no harm in talking with a lawyer just to make sure. Initial consultations with most lawyers are free, although some lawyers will not talk with you once they determine there’s not a case. My office is NOT like that, even if we determine we cannot help you, or that there isn’t a viable Workers’ Compensation case, we won’t rush you off the phone or out the door. If you contact our office, we will try and answer your questions and refer you to another lawyer, agency, or community resource if we are not able to take your case.
This is an excerpt of the book “11 Secrets to Winning Your Workers’ Compensation Claim.” This book will answer many of these questions and give you the knowledge you need. Get your free copy now.
Download our Free eBook on Workers Comp
To schedule a confidential and free case evaluation, please contact us or call (770) 766-0555. Hablamos Español.
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