When Do You Need a Lawyer for Workers’ Comp?

Do You Need to Hire a Workers' Comp Lawyer to Get Your Benefits?

Have you recently gotten injured at your job? You might be wondering what steps you should take next.

Specifically, a lot of people who are recently injured wonder if they really need to hire a workers’ comp lawyer or if they’ll be able to simply represent themselves.

Getting injured on the job is a struggle that most people do not want to deal with. The workers’ compensation process can be long and complicated, so keep reading to learn more about whether or not you should get a lawyer to deal with your situation.

When You Should Hire a Lawyer

Deciding to hire a lawyer usually stems from a complication in the workers’ comp process. There are many key situations that would greatly benefit from you hiring a lawyer.

The first situation is if your employer denies your claim or is not willing to properly pay your benefits. Often, employers will deny a workers’ comp claim in the hopes that the worker will not appeal.

Another reason to hire a lawyer would be if your employer’s settlement isn’t covering everything it should. Meaning, you may need coverage for a loss of wages and medical bills.

Additionally, if your boss retaliates against you for filing the comp claim in the first place, you may want to call a lawyer. Retaliation could look like you losing hours, being demoted, firing you or reducing your pay.

Finally, if you sustain serious medical injuries or if you’ve sustained a permanent disability, you should hire a lawyer to ensure you’re receiving all the proper benefits. These cases, like a slip and fall case, can be expensive for insurance companies and you may want a lawyer to fight this battle.

What Your Lawyer Will Do 

A lawyer will help alleviate a lot of the headache involved with workers’ comp cases. Specifically, your lawyer should help to make sure you meet every deadline and fill out all the necessary forms.

Your attorney should also know how to gather the evidence and info you need to prove your case and work with the insurance company to negotiate. Finally, the lawyer will write a settlement agreement. But if you can’t agree on a settlement the attorney will also prepare the case for you at trial.

When You Can Represent Yourself 

In general, you might be able to represent yourself in a few cases. One of those would be if you suffered very minor injuries and your employer admits that they happened at work.

Also, if you didn’t miss money or work due to your injury, you may be able to represent yourself. Also if you don’t have a pre-existing condition and can immediately return to work.

Basically, if the situation is not complicated, you likely do not need a lawyer. However, consulting a workers’ comp lawyer could still be beneficial.

Deciding Whether or Not to Hire a Workers' Comp Lawyer

Going through a workers’ comp case can be a painstaking process. Most people opt for a workers’ comp lawyer to make sure they’re fairly represented.

We’ve also put together a list of top-rated workers’ comp doctors to visit if you were injured in a work-related accident in New York.

Click here to read more about workers’ comp and get the answers you need for your situation!