Filing For Worker's Compensation? How To Know When To Hire An Attorney

Worker's compensation is a safeguard put in place to protect the people who work for an employer in the United States. Sustaining an injury on the job is one of those unexpected occurrences that can change the entire trajectory of your working life. If this has happened to you and you're thinking about filing a worker's compensation claim, you need to know when it's best to let an attorney walk the path with you. The following information outlines two examples of when you can positively influence the outcome of your worker's compensation claim by getting a workers comp lawyer.

You Have Preexisting Disabilities

A large part of any worker's compensation claim involves establishing a link between the injury you're dealing with and the incident that caused it. For example, if you testify that you fell down on a wet freezer floor at work and it caused you to shatter your femur, it needs to be proven that there wasn't already something wrong with your femur to begin with. Making this all-important link can sometimes be hard to do, especially if the preexisting injury is a bit more obscure. A lawyer can help you with this.

You might need an expert witness, such as a doctor, who can come in and testify that it was indeed the wet floor which caused your femur to shatter. Injuries of a psychological nature definitely need to be corroborated by a professional. A counselor or psychiatrist can show the judge how your mental issue is a direct result of the on-the-job accident. An attorney can be instrumental in making sure that your preexisting disabilities are not the cause of your claim being denied.

Your Employer Is Attempting To Hide Evidence

There are some employers who might try to hide or cover up condemning evidence so that your claim won't be approved. This can be done in a number of different ways, such as rapidly repairing a floor that was uneven for a long while or adding a ramp because you hurt yourself on the exterior steps. Lawyers know how to capture images and get the evidence needed to validate your claims. They understand that worker's compensation claims are extremely time-sensitive and failing to gather the evidence in a timely manner could blow the case.

Many worker's compensation attorneys operate on a contingency basis so don't fret if you don't have money upfront. If either of these situations rings a bell get an attorney on your side right away.

Share