After sustaining a work-related injury, the next question that lingers in your mind is whether to retain an attorney or just to let it pass. Well, it is important to understand that not everyone who gets injured at work will be eligible to file a compensation claim. For instance, getting an attorney may not be necessary if the main injury isn’t work-related, isn’t permanent or it can heal, extensive medical treatment notwithstanding. Moreover, you’ll unlikely get compensated if the injury doesn’t keep you away from work.
Conversely, you should fulfil various conditions to increase the chances of a reputable tucson workers compensation lawyer winning your case. For instance, it would help if you are employed by an organization that covers its employees under workers’ compensation insurance. So, what reasons should prompt you to lawyer up? Well, they include but aren’t limited to the following:
- Higher permanent disability rating
Insurance companies will calculate the amount of compensation based on permanent disability rating. While it is possible to get a rating report from the doctor of your choice, most companies will insist on an independent medical examination (IME), in a clinic designated by them. The result is that you may get a lower rating as a clinic or doctor of their choice will favour them. In that case, an experienced attorney will take your case to court and convince a judge that the rating issued to you is false and manipulated.
- The insurance company denies your claim
Have you ever dealt with insurance companies before? Well, they don’t give in easily into settling claims. Insurance companies have lawyers who are paid well and will unleash all their resources to fight claims from all angles. In that case, you’ll need someone who can play hardball with them and see to it that justice is served accordingly. The only person with that experience and zeal would be the attorney next door.
- Medical treatment
Serious injuries will attract hefty medical fees, which obviously no one prepares for, especially if they are casual workers. Besides getting money to offset the medical bills, your lawyer will ensure that you seek specialized treatment in extreme cases such as trauma or spinal cord injuries.
- Pre-existing medical conditions
If you have pre-existing medical conditions, your employer or the insurance company will try to argue that the accident or injuries culminated from them. Well, a lawyer will step up to prove that the injuries were caused by accident due to the employer’s negligence or liability under torts of law.
- You are headed for worker’s comp hearing
Lastly, you might also need to retain a lawyer if you are probably headed for a workers’ comp hearing to determine your fate. You’ll likely end here if the insurance refuses to pay what you asked for, or the employer disputes your accounts to the situation. Since the company will likely bring its secretary and even lawyers, it will help if you lawyer up too. Moreover, insurance companies also have lawyers at their disposal.
If you find yourself in any of the above situations, retaining workers’ compensation lawyers as soon as possible sounds like a good plan. Moreover, it will help if you get indemnified so that your dependents don’t have to suffer because of someone else’s negligence or liability. Careless employers should pay for their deeds!