If you’ve been injured on the job, workers’ compensation attorneys can help make sure you are compensated and get back to work. The workers’ compensation system is a complicated maze of rules and regulations. It can be difficult to navigate without an attorney on your side. But there are still some questions that come up time and time again when hiring a workers comp attorney. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of the most frequently asked questions about workers’ compensation attorneys.
Q. What is workers’ compensation?
A. Workers’ compensation provides a system of benefits for workers who have experienced work-related injuries or illnesses. The workers’ comp system can provide wage replacement, medical care and rehabilitation services, vocational help such as job counseling and retraining, death benefits to the deceased worker’s family members—and much more.
Q. When would I need an attorney representing me in my workers’ compensation claim?
A. An attorney will represent you when your employer disputes the injury; if there are overly burdensome medical requirements from your insurer that you feel aren’t necessary; if disputes arise over what level of income is appropriate during periods off due to disability; if there are questions about whether you’ve reached maximum medical improvement (a major milestone in workers’ compensation claims); if you’re dissatisfied with the insurance company’s settlement; and more.
Q. What are common mistakes that workers make when filing for workers’ comp?
A. Common mistakes workers make are not getting medical treatment quickly, not keeping copies of all their paperwork in case it is needed later on, and failing to be open about what happened during a workplace injury or illness (some people feel ashamed they got hurt at work).
Q. What is the right time to see an attorney for a workers’ compensation claim?
A. You should meet with an attorney before your employer has issued any form of denial or offer so that they can help estimate the timeline for your case because every claim is different depending on many factors— e.g., the severity of the injury, workers’ comp coverage, and whether or not you’re being retaliated against at work for filing a claim.
Q. What are the benefits of hiring a workers’ compensation attorney?
A. An attorney can help you navigate the workers’ comp system, which often feels like a maze to those who have never gone through it before; they might also be able to negotiate with your employer or figure out what kind of medical care is required for your injury and where that treatment should take place (i.e., at work or elsewhere).
Q. How do I know if my worker’s compensation claim will go in front of an arbitrator or judge?
A. That depends on how complicated the case is—workers’ comp claims are generally assigned to workers’ compensation judges unless there are significant legal issues involved, such as disputes over eligibility for benefits under workers’ comp law, multiple employers involved in the incident, and so on.
Q. What happens if the workers’ compensation insurance company refuses to pay my medical bills or other benefits?
A. The workers’ comp insurer may refuse to provide any of your workers’ comp benefits until you reach a settlement with them, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they won’t eventually agree to compensate you for those losses (as long as it’s within the legal parameters). Be sure to consult with an attorney, so s/he can offer his professional opinion about what happens next – and how best to proceed in order not to be left out on the street without any income whatsoever while waiting for negotiations between parties to go through their course.
Conclusion
Handling your compensation claims on your own can be very difficult, so it is always better to seek help from an expert attorney. Workers compensation attorneys are very experienced workers who know all the legal procedures that you need to take, and they can assist with any questions or issues.
