Where Can I Go for Workers’ Compensation Assistance?

Now that you know where to go for workers’ compensation assistance, what can you expect to happen during the free case evaluation with one of the state-licensed lawyers from Morgan & Morgan? One of the most important items on the agenda involves providing a thorough explanation of the workers’ compensation process.

Understanding the steps you must take to file a claim can improve your chances of receiving just compensation for your work-related injuries.

Seek Medical Care

One of the keys to getting a claim approved for a work-related accident involves seeking medical care from your preferred healthcare provider. Even if you feel the injury you sustained does not warrant a visit with your physician, you have to seek medical care because it is a requirement when filing a claim. The results of diagnostic tests, as well as a description of your prognosis for making a full or partial recovery, play an important role in determining how much compensation you should receive.

Let Your Employer Know

Another requirement for getting a claim approved is to inform your employer after a workplace accident has caused you harm. You should report the accident as soon as possible after the incident. Your employer creates a written accident report that includes the details of your injury and what transpired before, during, and after the workplace accident. Most states give workers 30 days to report work-related injuries to account for medical conditions that produced delayed symptoms. Carpal tunnel syndrome represents one type of work-related injury in which the painful symptoms do not immediately develop.

Complete the Workers’ Compensation Claim Form

After you report the injury or injuries to your employer, you should receive the claim form that you need to fill out completely and accurately. Depending on the state where you live, you also might have to complete a form that goes to the state workers’ compensation board. After filling in the contact information boxes, you describe your injuries and how the accident happened in detail. You should list witnesses, as well as the name and contact information of your healthcare provider.

Your employer submits the formal paperwork that starts the claim process.

A Decision From the Insurance Company

Your employer’s insurance company reviews your claim before letting you know whether it is approved or denied. You might have to undergo a second medical evaluation conducted by an independent healthcare provider. The insurance company has the right to complete an investigation into the accident, which means you should prepare for a series of questions.
Knowing where to go for workers’ compensation assistance is especially important if your employer’s insurance company contests the validity of your claim.

Getting Back to Work

Unlike federally-funded long-term disability programs, workers’ compensation is meant to be a short-term solution to help employees bridge the financial gap between recovering from an injury and getting back to work. Your employer must provide you with reasonable accommodations if you need help making the transition back to the workplace. You also have the right to request a change in professional roles to minimize the negative side effects of an injury.

Hiring an experienced attorney from Morgan & Morgan improves your chances of getting a claim approved. When you sit down for a free case evaluation, you should discover what your legal counsel does to help clients get the compensation they deserve from the state’s workers’ compensation program.

Collect and Organize Evidence

Collecting and organizing the evidence associated with a worker’s comp claim requires the professional expertise of an experienced lawyer. Your legal counsel should review medical records that include a detailed description of your treatment program and physical therapy sessions. A copy of security camera footage should present clear proof that you suffered a work-related injury. Testimony from a vocational expert can verify the difficulty you have working with the injuries you suffered because of a workplace accident. Your attorney takes depositions from witnesses, as well as from the management team representing your employer.

Negotiate a Settlement

Many workers’ compensation cases stall because both parties cannot agree on a value for compensation. For example, your employer’s insurance company accepts your version of events but disputes the severity of your injuries. Negotiating a favorable settlement is one of the most important responsibilities of a workers’ compensation attorney. After submitting a claim, your employer’s insurance company makes a counteroffer to start the negotiations. Your lawyer reviews a proposed settlement agreement to ensure it meets the legal standards established for finalizing a claim.

Legal Representation at a Hearing 

If you cannot resolve a workers’ comp dispute through negotiations, your case moves forward to an administrative hearing before a workers’ compensation judge. The hearing unfolds in the same manner as a trial, with eyewitnesses taking the stand to testify and expert witnesses explaining the legitimacy of physical evidence. At the beginning of the hearing, your attorney presents a theory of the case, which represents a short statement that explains why you should receive workers’ compensation benefits.

One of the workers’ comp lawyers from Morgan & Morgan also can help you learn about other types of government programs that help injured workers receive financial assistance.

Now that you know where to go for workers’ compensation assistance, you need to know what to look for in legal counsel. 

Specializes in Workers’ Compensation Cases

The legal counsel you hire to handle your case must specialize in workers’ compensation law. Your lawyer must have a thorough understanding of your state’s workers’ compensation statutes, from the deadline for filing a claim to the steps it takes to file an appeal for financial assistance. At Morgan & Morgan, our workers’ compensation attorneys work exclusively on workers’ comp cases.

Represents Workers

Your lawyer must handle cases for workers. Many workers’ compensation attorneys have divided loyalties because they also represent employers in some cases. An attorney who sometimes handles workers’ compensation for employers might not see some of the legal issues your way. Our workers’ compensation lawyers represent workers, not employers.

Record of Success

Experience is an overrated criterion for selecting the best attorney to represent you for a workers’ compensation case. Instead, you want legal counsel that has amassed an impressive record of getting workers the financial assistance they deserve to recover from a work-related injury. With more than 30 years of proven success, Morgan & Morgan remains the go-to law firm in the United States for litigating workers’ compensation cases.

Responsive Communicator

Responsive communication starts when your legal counsel promptly returns your emails and phone calls. Your attorney has other clients to represent, but that does not mean you should accept long delays between interactions. Workers’ comp cases move at a relatively fast pace compared to other types of legal actions. Your lawyer needs to keep you informed of rapid changes the minute they happen. You can discover how responsive an attorney is before a free case evaluation by sending a few emails and leaving a couple of phone messages.

With You Every Step of the Way

You want to hire an attorney who works with a strong support staff, but you also want your legal counsel to be the primary source of legal advice. Some workers’ compensation lawyers show up at a free case evaluation, only to hand off the remaining legal responsibilities to a paralegal or a less experienced member of a law firm. When you hire one of the talented litigators from Morgan & Morgan, you can expect the lawyer to provide you with legal support every step of the way.

Knowing where to go for workers’ compensation assistance can help you receive just compensation for a work-related injury. Ask trusted friends and family members for recommendations for legal representation. Many of our clients found Morgan & Morgan from the recommendations provided by trusted friends and relatives. We also receive recommendations from attorneys that practice a different type of law. For example, maybe a criminal defense lawyer you know recommends Morgan & Morgan for workers’ compensation assistance.

Remember that winning approval for a workers’ compensation claim is not about proving negligence. It is all about convincing your employer’s insurance company to approve a claim for just compensation. Working with one of the highly-rated workers’ compensation attorneys from Morgan & Morgan can help you receive approval for a claim. Check out the positive ratings we have received on sites such as Google and Facebook. With more than three decades of experience, we have earned the trust and respect of our clients.

Schedule a free case evaluation today to learn more about how Morgan & Morgan can help you win the approval of a workers’ compensation claim.