Workers' Compensation Attorney in The Bronx

If you've been injured while working for your employer in the Bronx, you may be entitled to compensation under New York's workers’ compensation laws. You may also need an attorney to fight for your rights. Here's everything you need to know about workers' compensation lawyers in the Bronx and how they can help you throughout the claims process. 

When You Need to Determine Eligibility

Most employees in the Bronx and throughout New York are eligible for workers' compensation benefits if they get injured while on the job. However, you can never be 100 percent sure unless you confirm your eligibility. This explains why it's always advisable to consult an experienced Bronx worker's compensation attorney to determine your eligibility. The attorney will identify your eligibility category and review your employment paperwork to decide who to go for when you need to file a claim. 

At Morgan & Morgan, our workers' comp lawyers are always ready to review your claim at no cost to you. We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation to anyone who's been injured at the workplace. All they need to do is fill out our free case evaluation form. 

When Your Claim Is Denied

When you suffer an injury in the workplace, you may be sure that your employer's insurance provider will approve your workers' compensation claim. After all, you have been a great employee with an excellent track record. In addition, your co-workers witnessed the accident, and you received medical treatment, which your doctor documented. 

But the sad truth is that your claim may be denied for many reasons, even if you have sufficient evidence to prove your eligibility for compensation. For example, failure to meet specific deadlines is one of the reasons your claim may be denied. The same applies to procedural requirements. Just as long as the insurance company has a reason to doubt or dispute your claim, you'll most likely have a rough time pursuing compensation.

Remember, your employer's insurer is in business just like your employer. Therefore, the less they pay such claims, the more money they make in terms of profits from your employer's premiums. So whenever such companies get an opportunity to deny your claim, they'll do so without hesitation.

But things are different when working with an experienced worker's compensation lawyer in the Bronx. Such an attorney knows the most critical elements of proving your eligibility for compensation when you file a claim. As mentioned earlier, the evidence is just part of the puzzle; you'll need more than that to convince the insurance company that you deserve compensation for your injuries. Since such attorneys are experienced in handling such claims, you can count on them to help you prepare a strong case on your behalf, forcing the insurance company to settle your claim. 

When You Need a Skilled Negotiator

Workers' compensation lawyers in the Bronx deal with insurance companies almost daily. On the other hand, this might be your first time filing such a claim with an insurance company. One thing about these companies is that they know how to intimidate workers when they file a claim. For example, some use certain tactics to force workers to accept lowball settlement offers. When that happens, such employees struggle to take care of their medical bills and other expenses arising from the injury. 

Here's a hypothetical example of such a situation: 

John slips and falls down a flight of stairs while at work. Later, investigators discover that he slipped because the stairs were wet, and there were no warning signs at the site of the incident. When John files a claim with his employer's insurer, they argue that some of his injuries are exaggerated. As a result, they offer a fraction of what he needs to settle his medical bills and other expenses deriving from the injury. 

John turns down the initial offer, but the insurance company returns with a slightly improved offer, claiming it's the last. In that case, John finds himself in a 'take-it-or-leave-it' situation. 

He is torn between accepting the offer, although insufficient, and not receiving anything from the insurance company. But that shouldn't be the case. In fact, this is just one of the many tactics insurance companies use to deny injury victims what they may be entitled to as compensation for their injuries. 

On the other hand, things are completely different when working with an attorney. Since they understand your rights, they know what you are entitled to as compensation for your injuries. Experienced workers' compensation attorneys are not intimidated by insurance companies. Instead, they fight for your rights by negotiating a reasonable compensation for your injuries. And when insurance companies realize that you've hired an attorney to represent you, they'll most likely stop playing games and begin to take your claim seriously. 

When negotiating a reasonable settlement on your behalf, the attorney will exploit different ways to maximize your claim. For example, suppose you got hit by a negligent driver while driving a company vehicle while on shift. In that case, you may be able to recover compensation through your worker's compensation insurance and the negligent driver's insurance company as well. 

When You Need to Navigate Complex Legal Processes

The worker's compensation process is not all about filing a claim, getting approved, and receiving the compensation you need and deserve. That's not how it works. Instead, you'll most likely encounter many complex legal obstacles along the way, something an experienced workers' comp attorney in the Bronx can help you navigate. 

For example, did you know that receiving workers' compensation benefits might jeopardize your Social Security Disability benefits? In New York and many other states, you may receive lower SSD payments if your SSD payments and worker's compensation exceed 80 percent of your salary. Most injury victims celebrate after a successful claim only to discover that they'll receive lower SSD payments moving forward. But that's not something you should be concerned about when you have an attorney on your side. 

Here's an example of what a skilled attorney would do in such a situation:

When you file a worker's compensation claim and receive a settlement, your attorney can state in the release agreement that the payment is to be considered a lifetime payment. As a result, the authorities will consider this settlement a monthly payment spread out throughout the rest of your life. However, you'll still receive the payment as a lump sum, even though it's been labeled as a monthly payment. 

This is just one of the many legal obstacles an experienced attorney can help you navigate. Of course, you don't expect the insurance provider to inform you about such hurdles. Instead, they'll hope that you'll make mistakes somewhere along the way, jeopardizing your claim in the process. 

When You Need Representation in Court

Some workers' compensation cases are settled before a judge, not in offices or over video conferences. This mostly happens when the insurance company refuses to cooperate with the injured worker or their attorney. In that case, the injured worker or their legal representative might file a lawsuit against the insurer. 

But here's the catch: if you're the injured victim and file a lawsuit without an attorney, the insurance company won't take the lawsuit seriously. Bear in mind that such companies make millions or billions of dollars yearly as profits, so hiring an experienced defense attorney won't be much of a problem for them. They most likely have a legal team on standby in preparation for such lawsuits. 

In addition, while recovering from injuries sustained in the workplace, you'll most likely not have the time, energy, or even resources to build a strong case against the other party. You'll need to gather substantial evidence, interview witnesses, collect crucial medical records, etc. But that's not all - somewhere along the process, you might make costly mistakes. 

The insurance provider will then bank on such mistakes to find a reason to jeopardize your claim. For example, workers' compensation claims are time-sensitive. If you fail to meet these deadlines, you'll most likely lose your right to recover compensation for your injuries. But that's not the only reason you may be ineligible for compensation. 

Here are some additional reasons workers' compensation claims are denied:

• Failure to follow doctor's treatment instructions or plan
• Making false statements about injuries or symptoms
• Failing to adhere to the doctor's restrictions when performing certain tasks 

Filing an Appeal

When your workers' compensation claim is denied, you'll need to file an appeal. This means even more paperwork and research, which requires more resources. An experienced attorney can file an appeal on your behalf, ensuring you receive the compensation you need and deserve. They'll also prepare you for the appeals process, including being interviewed with the other party's representatives.

How Morgan & Morgan Workers Compensation Attorneys in the Bronx Can Help

Although it's important to work with a workers' compensation attorney when pursuing compensation for your injuries, the lawyer or law firm you choose to work with can significantly impact your case. At Morgan & Morgan, you can trust our team of experienced workers' compensation attorneys in the Bronx to fight for your rights till the end.

Here's why you should work with us:

Morgan & Morgan does not need any introduction to the world of personal injury cases. We're the largest personal injury law firm in the country. So when you work with one of our attorneys, your employer's insurer will know you're serious about your claim. As a result, chances are they won't play games. Instead, they'll most likely be willing to negotiate out of court. 

Speaking about out-of-court negotiations, it's very unlikely that the other party will want to see us in court. This is because our law firm has some of the most powerful legal resources you'll find anywhere in the country. We have access to top-rated investigators, medical professionals, sophisticated legal technology, and experts in different fields who can help strengthen your case in various ways. So when the case goes to court, your employer's insurer will most likely have to pay you more than the initial amount. 

Morgan & Morgan also boasts an army of over 800 personal injury attorneys specializing in different areas of injury law, including workers' compensation. So when you work with us, you won't have to worry about your case being thrown on the back burner for months or even years like other law firms do. Instead, our team of seasoned attorneys will begin working on your case when you sign up as our client till the end of the case. 

An attorney's or law firm's reputation is one of the most important things to consider when filing a workers' compensation claim. You need a law firm or attorney that's not all talk without action. At Morgan & Morgan, our reputation and track record speak for themselves. Since we opened our doors in 1988, we've helped our clients recover more than $13 million as compensation for various kinds of injuries across the country. 

So when you contact us for a free case evaluation, you won't be the first client looking up to us to fight for their rights. This is what we do on a daily basis. We will fight for your interests. 

Lastly, we'll take the case to court if the other party refuses to settle. Our attorneys are never afraid to pursue such cases in court; we require our lawyers to settle a certain number of court cases every year. This adds to their experience handling such cases, given that most workers' compensation and personal injury cases are often solved out of court. By working with an attorney who has both in-court and out-of-court experience, you'll get the best of both worlds. 

If you or your beloved has been injured in the workplace, our Bronx workers' compensation attorneys might be able to help. All you need to do is fill out our online case evaluation form, and one of our legal representatives will get in touch to walk you through the next steps of securing the compensation you need and deserve.