What happens when you get a workers’ compensation lawyer?

After suffering from a workplace injury, you will have a lot to deal with. Besides the accident’s physical and emotional effects, you may also be experiencing financial stress due to your inability to work. Hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer to handle your claim will allow you to focus on what is important—recovering and getting back to work.

After you meet with a workers’ compensation lawyer and decide that you want them to represent you in your workers’ compensation claim, your lawyer will handle every aspect of your claim. Of course, every workers’ comp claim is unique, and a skilled workers’ comp lawyer will create a custom-tailored strategy depending on the specific facts of your case. From the moment you hire a workers’ compensation lawyer, they will do the following.

Interview you to understand the overall situation better

The lawyer will want to know about your job, the accident that caused your injuries, and what medical treatment you have received since the accident. To facilitate the process, you should bring documentation pertaining to the above when you meet with your attorney. If you have any information you feel is important, let your attorney know. For example, if co-workers experienced similar accidents.

Investigate the accident that resulted in your injuries

Your attorney will investigate the accident to determine if it was related to your work. In some cases, this is straightforward; for example, proving that a broken leg was work-related when it was due to an on-the-job accident may be obvious. However, if you developed a repetitive-use injury, it may be more difficult to connect your injury to your job. However, this is exactly what workers’ compensation attorneys know how to do.

Prepare your workers’ compensation claim

Once your workers’ compensation lawyer has identified the particulars of your case, they will then prepare your claim. Workers’ compensation laws impose strict deadlines that must be followed; otherwise, you run the risk of losing your ability to bring a claim.

Negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf

When you hire a workers’ compensation lawyer, they will handle all negotiations with your employer and their insurance company, so you do not have to. When you have an attorney on your side, they will know what your claim is worth and will not let you be taken advantage of.

Attend any in-person hearings

While most workers’ comp cases are settled, sometimes, an insurance company refuses to budge. When this happens, your attorney may need to attend a hearing in front of a workers’ compensation judge. At the hearing, the judge will hear from your attorney, as well as a representative from the insurance company. Your attorney may call fact witnesses or expert witnesses to help show you are entitled to benefits. Your workers’ compensation lawyer will also be able to cross-examine any witnesses called by the insurance company effectively.

Look for other possible claims against negligent third-parties

Finally, a workers’ compensation lawyer will look for potential claims you have against other parties that may be responsible for your accident. The workers’ compensation system deals with claims between employees and employers. However, some workplace accidents are caused by a third party’s negligence. For example, if a construction worker falls due to defective scaffolding, the worker may have a personal injury claim against the scaffolding manufacturer. These third-party personal injury claims are important to identify, as they may be the source of additional compensation for your injuries, including damages for your pain and suffering.

Other Workers’ Compensation FAQs:

• Am I Allowed to Choose My Doctors For My Workplace Injury in New Jersey?
• Am I Eligible For Workers’ Compensation If I Am Hurt While Working From Home in New Jersey?
• Are Longshore Workers Eligible For Workers’ Compensation in New Jersey?
• Are Minors Entitled to Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
• Are Minors Injured in a Work-Related Accident Eligible to Receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits in New Jersey?
• Are Workers’ Compensation Benefits Taxable?
• Can A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Help Me Obtain Benefits and A Settlement Award?
• Can an Employer Fire an Employee for Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim In New Jersey?
• Can CNAs or RNs Attacked by Patients Receive Workers’ Comp Benefits For Their Injuries?
• Can I Choose My Doctor For My Workers’ Compensation Claim in New Jersey?
• Can I File a Third-Party Lawsuit For My New Jersey Workplace Injury?
• Can I Get Workers’ Compensation When A Coworker Assaults Me?
• Can I Receive Workers’ Compensation For A Gradual, Repetitive Use Injury?
• Can I Reopen My Workers’ Compensation Case?
• Do I Need A Doctor’s Approval to Return to Work?
• How Does a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Get Paid If the Injured Worker Is Totally Disabled in New Jersey?
• How Does A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Get Paid?
• How Much Do Workers’ Compensation Lawyers charge in New Jersey?
• How Much Does a Lawyer Make Off of a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
• How Much Does a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Charge in New Jersey?
• I Was Terminated While Out of Work Due to an On-the Job Injury; What Are My Rights?
• If My Spouse or Parent Dies Due to a Work-Related Injury or Illness in New Jersey, Am I Entitled to Any Death Benefits?
• Is My Injury Considered A Permanent Partial Disability?
• Since I Cannot Perform the Job I Did Before the Injury, Can I Return to Work in a Different Capacity, and How Would That Impact Future Compensation?
• The Workers’ Compensation Doctor Has Released Me For Light Duty Work, But My Employer Told Ne There Is No Light Duty Work Available. What Should I Do?
• What Do I Do If I Get into a New Jersey Car Accident While Working?
• What Does A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Do For You?
• What Does A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Do?
• What Does A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Need to Know?
• What Does AWW Mean Under Workers’ Comp? (Average Weekly Wage)
• What Does FCE Mean Under Workers’ Comp? (Functional Capacity Evaluation)
• What Does IME Mean in Workers’ Comp? (Independent Medical Examination)
• What Does MMI Mean in Workers’ Comp? (Maximum Medical Improvement)
• What Does PPD Mean in Workers’ Comp? (Permanent Partial Disability)
• What Does TTD Mean in Workers’ Comp? (Temporary Total Disability)
• What Happens When Using A Lawyer For A Workers’ Compensation Claim?
• What Happens When You Get A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
• What Is A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
• What Kind of Information Does A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Need From You?
• What Should I Do If My Employer Refuses to Open Up a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
• What To Do If Your Employer Will Not Report Your New Jersey Accident to the Workers’ Compensation Carrier?
• What to Expect in Your Free Consultation with a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
• What Type of Documents Do I Need to Sign to Allow My Workers’ Compensation Lawyer to Accept My Settlement?
• What Will A New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Attorney Do For Me?
• What Workers’ Comp Benefits Can I Receive If I’m Unable to Work or Return to Work?
• When Do I Need A New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
• When Do Workers’ Compensation Payments Stop?
• When To Get A Lawyer For TBI Workers’ Compensation?
• When To Get A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
• While I Was Out of Work as a Result of a Work-Related Injury My Employer Terminated Me. Is This Legal?
• Why Do I Need a Lawyer to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
• Why Do I Need A Lawyer to File For New Jersey Workers’ Compensation?
• Why Should I Have A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?