Did you know that around 2.8 million workplace injuries occur every year? In fact, a person is injured in the workplace every seven seconds. And that isn’t even counting cumulative traumas that happen over time.
These injuries can be severely traumatic. Hospital bills, treatments, and lost wages rack up debt and bills that are impossible to pay.
If you’ve suffered an injury at your workplace you are entitled to benefits to protect yourself and your family. In order to secure these benefits, it’s imperative that you find the best workers’ comp lawyer to assist you with your claim.
To help you find the best lawyer for your claim and prepare yourself for the process, here are seven questions you should be asking your workers’ comp attorney.
1. What is Your Experience Handling Workers’ Compensation Cases?
It’s critical that you choose the best workers’ comp attorney to ensure the best possible outcome for you and your loved ones. In order to do that you want to find a lawyer that has experience with workers’ compensation.
Finding a great lawyer with decades of experience won’t matter much if they’ve never handled a workers’ comp case. Look for an attorney that concentrates their energy and skill on workers’ compensation claims.
A lawyer that has plenty of experience with these cases will know all the loopholes, the tricks of the trade, and the knowledge necessary for dealing with insurance companies and third parties.
This is especially important if you’re feeling nervous and concerned about the legitimacy or outcome of your claim.
2. Have You Represented Someone With a Case Similar to Mine?
This is one of the most important questions to ask a lawyer to gauge their specialties, skills, and experience. Finding an experienced workers’ comp attorney is step one.
However, if you’d like to ensure the highest chance of success then it’s best to seek out a lawyer that has handled a similar case to yours. This is especially critical if you have an unusual claim or have suffered a cumulative trauma, as these are more difficult claims.
Your best chance of receiving benefits is having representation by someone who has done it all before.
3. Do You Personally Handle Workers’ Comp Cases?
This is one of those lawyer questions that you may feel uncomfortable asking, but it’s important that you do. You may find a workers’ comp attorney that only handles workers’ compensation claims and even has a ton of experience with clients and cases similar to yours.
But, if they hand off your case to a Junior lawyer, then does all of that really matter? Look for a lawyer that can assure you they will be personally working your case — and can back it up. Additionally, find out what kind of compensation they were able to secure for their clients.
You want to rest safe in the knowledge that your case is in the best hands and understanding an attorney’s success rate is one surefire way to do that.
4. What Benefits am I Entitled To From Workers’ Compensation?
First of all, you’ll have to discuss with the workers’ comp lawyer whether you’re eligible for benefits. Unfortunately, not all workers qualify for benefits. Before you start fighting for the compensation you need to understand whether you’re eligible and what the limitations to compensation are in your case.
The next step is figuring out what benefits you’re entitled to. The attorney will be able to take you through the basic compensation and the finer details pertaining to your case with a realistic conclusion of what you can expect.
In general, the workers’ compensation insurance company should pay for your medical bills. You may also qualify for lost wages, temporary disability allowance, treatments, and other costs relating to your case.
5. Does it Matter That the Injury Was My Fault?
You may be feeling like your claim has no leg to stand on because the injury was your fault. Or, perhaps it wasn’t your fault but there is no way to prove who is actually at fault.
This doesn’t matter. The only time that being at fault will hurt your case is if you started a fight or acted irrationally and extremely — for example, if you were drunk.
You are entitled to workers’ compensation for any injury suffered at work. This is regardless of who is at fault or whose negligent behavior caused the injury.
6. How Much Do You Charge?
Many lawyers work on a contingency fee basis. This means that you don’t need to pay them anything until you receive payment or a negotiated settlement. Basically, unless they are successful in your claim. If your claim is denied, you won’t have to pay the attorney.
However, it’s vital that you know how much the lawyer’s services are going to cost. These include legal costs such as expert witnesses or investigations. You need to know what costs you are responsible for and the estimated amount.
The last thing you want is to secure compensation only to shell out the majority of it for hidden legal fees.
7. Will My Case Go to a Hearing?
It’s difficult for a workers’ comp attorney to tell early on whether your case will need to go to court to be heard by a judge. However, once your lawyer has started the negotiations with the claims administrator, this information will become more apparent.
When there is more information, your attorney will be able to advise you on whether your claim will go to a hearing. In general, attorneys will work to avoid hearings by figuring out a just settlement.
Hire the Right Workers’ Comp Lawyer for You
Suffering an injury at work is traumatic, costly, and can put your livelihood and finances at risk. That’s why it’s so important to find the best workers’ comp lawyer that will ensure you receive the benefits that you deserve.
If you’re searching for an expert workers’ compensation lawyer to handle your claim, contact us today. We know all the ins and outs of workers’ compensation and will assist you in protecting yourself and your family.