After experiencing an injury at work, it is incredibly important to work with a high quality attorney for your workers compensation claim. Doing so not only insures that you will have the best chance you can at receiving adequate compensation, but will also help to make an extremely stressful time more pleasant to navigate. To learn the top five reasons to work with workers comp lawyers after you’re hurt at work, keep reading.
1) Workers Compensation Workers compensation is incredibly important to secure after an injury at work. As of 2011, about 126 million workers in the United States were covered by workers compensation, meaning that if they are injured on the job, they could expect that their medical bills would be covered in full and they would receive compensation for time they lost at work beyond a week. While some employers treat this benefit as automatic, in many situations, a workers compensation lawyer is necessary to make sure you get your benefit in full.
2) Think Long Term If you are one of the more than 900,000 people each year who have to miss work because of an injury, you also have to think about your options in the future. A workers compensation law firm will likely suggest that, depending on your diagnosis, you strongly consider the likelihood of needing compensation beyond what is immediately guaranteed. Particularly if you injury will make it impossible to ever return to work, a lawyer’s expertise will be invaluable.
3) Quality Care An additional benefit of working with an attorney after an injury at work is that it may open doors for you to insure that you receive the highest quality care available. Sometimes workers compensation programs require you to see certain physicians. If you are unsatisfied with that care, your lawyer may be able to help you seek a second opinion on your case.
4) Local Laws It’s also important to consider working with a lawyer who is an expert in the laws in your area. Because each state may have additional laws regarding occupational injury or workers compensation, you’ll want to be sure that who you have on your team is intimately familiar with all the jurisdiction that may apply in your area.
5) Occupational Hazards If you’re hurt at work, you may also want to consider working with a lawyer who specializes in your occupation. Particularly if you work in a field in which injuries are common, you will want to look for a law firm that has experience in your field. This will give them either further insight into how to best fight for you and your family.
Beyond these practical reasons of insuring that you receive the most fair compensation you can, it is also important to consider the emotional impact of hiring a workers compensation lawyer. While your injury is a brand new experience for you, a workers comp lawyers works with people each day who have been in your shoes. That experience can bring enormous comfort in your time of need.