A workers' compensation attorney should be the among the first people you contact after you have been injured in the workplace, mostly because he or she can make the subsequent workers' compensation application process as easy as possible for you. Listed below are just a few of the reasons to hire a workers' compensation attorney.
Maximize Benefits
The single biggest reason to hire a workers' compensation attorney is to make sure that you get the full amount of benefits that you are entitled to by the law in your area. An attorney can actually walk you through the process and let you know what percentage of your wages you are entitled to and prevent you from being under-compensated by your employer. In addition, your attorney can also make sure that you get multiple medical opinions so that you have the best possible chance of being awarded as much money as is necessary to handle your required treatment.
Provide Legal Options In The Case Of Retaliation
Another reason to hire a workers' compensation attorney is because he or she can provide you with legal options if your boss decides that he or she is going to punish you for filing a claim. It is not uncommon for some employers to somehow believe that it was disloyal or wrong of you to file a workers' compensation claim and attempt to retaliate by cutting pay, hours, benefits, or even demoting you. However, your lawyer can protect you from that behavior by allowing you to sue your employer for creating a hostile workplace or simply reminding your employer that such retaliation is actually against the law.
Provide Client-Friendly Billing Options
Finally, a workers' compensation attorney is a great way to get assistance with your workers' compensation filing without having to worry about spending a lot of money to get that assistance. In many cases, this type of attorney will offer you multiple billing options that can ensure that you do not have to surrender the majority of your benefits or settlement.
For example, most of these attorneys will base their fees on whether or not you win your case. If you win your case then your attorney will take a reasonable percentage of your awarded benefits, which is often capped based on the laws in your area. In addition, if you do not win your case the attorney will not be entitled to any payout so you do not have to worry about receiving a bill after the case has been concluded.
Contact a workers' compensation attorney as soon as possible if you have been hurt on the job in order to avoid many of the complications and hurdles that can occur when filing for benefits. An attorney can help you maximize your benefits, assist you if your employer tries to punish you for filing for benefits, and provide you with reasonable billing options.
Share