Almost all states in the U.S. require companies and businesses to carry workers’ compensation insurance. If you suffer a work-related injury or illness, filing a workers’ compensation claim can cover costs related to medical care, rehab expenses, and lost wages. However, workers’ compensation claims can be complicated, and certain gray areas could compromise your chances of recovering the deserving compensation.
Therefore, choosing the right workers’ compensation attorney is crucial
to secure maximum benefits from your worker’s compensation claim. There are certain qualities and qualifications to look for in a workers’ comp lawyer to help you determine whether they are a good fit to represent you.
The following are some essential factors to consider when hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer to handle your claim:
Experience
The lawyer must possess relevant experience and knowledge about workers’ compensation cases as they fall under extremely complex and specialized areas of law. Not only should they have several years of practice with workers’ comp claims but have experience handling cases similar to yours.
Insurance companies and defense lawyers often use manipulative tactics to devalue a claim. An experienced attorney will provide a level playing field by being well-versed in dealing with their tricks and fully valuing your claim.
An expert workers’ compensation lawyer who knows about your particular injury over a dabbler can be the difference between a fair payout and meager compensation.
Past Results
While relevant experience is a vital aspect of a good workers’ comp attorney, it is not all that matters. You must not disregard an attorney even if they have a few years of experience handling workers’ comp cases but possess a proven track record of obtaining favorable outcomes.
The first consultation with your attorney is your opportunity to assess their qualifications and suitability to represent you. Therefore, one of the main questions you should ask is their success rate in previous workers’ comp cases. That includes negotiation settlements and trials. It is a wise idea to request a list of references who can give a review of their reliability and experience with the attorney.
After all, you want to be confident in your lawyer’s abilities to bring you fair compensation instead of doubting their competency during the legal proceedings.
Communication
As an injured worker seeking much-needed compensation, you will likely have several questions throughout the legal process for your lawyer. A good attorney will make you feel at ease by listening to and answering your concerns patiently instead of leaving you in the dark about the case.
During your first meeting with the lawyer, ask them about their preferred methods of communication with clients, typical response times, and whether they handle communications themselves or leave it to the assistants. Open communication is an essential quality of a trusted and reliable workers’ comp attorney.
Comfort Level
The deciding factor when choosing the best workers’ comp attorney after considering all other qualities is your comfort level with them. Your personal connection with the attorney is indispensable to solidifying your case and enhancing the chances of securing fair compensation.
You will interact with your lawyer regularly and might have to share personal details related to your work injury. Accordingly, you both need to develop a level of mutual understanding and get along well at a personal level so you can share information with them openly without hesitation.
The first few conversations are when you must evaluate whether you can create a level of comfort and trust with them that will help keep your case on track and build a convincing workers’ comp claim.
Final Words
Choosing a good lawyer to represent you in a workers’ compensation case is the most vital prerequisite for obtaining fair compensation for your claim. By keeping the above factors in mind, you can make an informed choice of choosing a qualified workers’ comp attorney who you can count on to get you the compensation you deserve.
