Workers’ comp attorneys play several roles in their clients’ lives. They help their clients get the benefits they deserve, fight unfair denials from insurance companies, and make sure that workers are not overburdened by medical bills or lost wages after an injury or death at work.
Help you get benefits
A lawyer can help you get all the benefits you are legally entitled to after you’ve been injured at work. Importantly, they’ll help you navigate the confusing claims process – such as filing an appeal or petition for compensation with the state’s workers’ compensation board or court system – which can be very intimidating if you’ve never been through it before.
Help you get medical bills paid
One of the most important things an attorney will do for you is ensure that the Workers’ Comp system in your state is paying your doctors and health care providers for all the medical care and treatment you are receiving for your work injuries.
Help you get lost wages
If you are injured on the job, you may be unable to return to work and need help being reimbursed for your lost wages, i.e., the income you would have earned from working if you had not been injured.
Fight denials from the insurance company
These lawyers help workers who have been injured on the job fight unfair denials from their insurance company. If the insurance company denies your claim for Workers’ Comp benefits or otherwise “cuts off” your benefits after it starts paying, your attorney can go to court to contest the denial.
Fight employers who refuse to pay Workers’ Comp
If you are injured on the job, you should be able to rely on your employer to pay your medical bills and provide compensation for lost wages. However, many employers will try to avoid paying workers’ comp benefits. In fact, some employers intentionally fire or lay off employees who have been injured to avoid paying them their benefits. If this happens to you, it is important to have a lawyer who knows what steps can be taken against such employers so that they cannot get away with breaking the law and violating their legal responsibilities as employers.
File claims
If you have been hurt on the job, it is important to understand how the claims process works for seeking workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation law is complex and often unfair, so it’s important for claimants to have an attorney on their side who can help them navigate this maze.
Negotiate settlement
Negotiating a workers’ comp settlement is a very important part of a workers’ comp attorney’s job. However, when the insurance company and/or the employer are being unreasonable and won’t agree to a fair settlement, then your lawyer will have to take your case to trial. This may become necessary when the insurance company denies your claim for benefits or refuses to cover medical treatment that has been recommended by a doctor.
Conclusion
Workers’ comp attorneys can help with all kinds of situations, from getting benefits and filing claims to fighting unfair denials and going to trial if necessary. Workers’ compensation attorneys are experienced in the laws governing workers’ compensation claims, so they’ll know how best to represent you in your case.