Injured At Work? How A Workers' Compensation Attorney Can Help You
If you were injured at work, you need to apply for workers' compensation immediately. This is important as you need to let your employer know when the injury occurred on the day it happens. This will help prevent problems later as your employer may say that you were injured outside of work. Applying for worker's compensation can be confusing, however, and you may have problems with your employer. To help, you need to hire a workers' compensation attorney. Below are some ways this type of attorney can assist you with your claim.
Gather Evidence
You need to ensure you have the evidence that you need from your doctor about your work injury. If you do not, your claim could be denied. To help, your workers' compensation attorney can gather the correct information from your doctor and ensure everything is listed on the medical records.
The attorney may also suggest certain doctors and arrange appointments for you. The attorney will also ask physicians for medical opinions about your injury. If needed the attorney will set up depositions to depose the doctors that treated you.
The attorney will get testimonies from people that witnesses your accident, as well as ask your family and friends about how this has affected your day to day life and activities. If your employer has a history of employee accidents, the attorney can show this history and show that the workplace has poor safety standards sets up.
Help You Negotiate and Settle
You will have to agree to a settlement agreement from your employer and the insurance company your employer hires or currently has in place. Your workers' compensation attorney can estimate how much you should be paid before you agree to the settlement. This will ensure you get the right amount of money.
The attorney will do this by showing your employer and the insurance company the limitations you have as a result of your injury. The attorney will also show the amount of money you have paid for medical expenses and medical treatment, as well as any future costs of treatments you may have.
The attorney can ensure that you get previous wages that you may have lost. For example, in the beginning you may have lost wages from going to doctor's appointments. If your injury has resulted in a permanent disability, the attorney can prove this claim to the other attorney and the court.
Talk to your workers' compensation attorney about this information if you have questions.