An injury sustained on the job leads to more than health concerns. A person who is unable to work due to their injury might also express concern over the future and their finances. They don’t know how they will pay their bills until they are able to work and who will care for their family. Worker’s compensation is designed to help individuals during this difficult time.
However, an employer may make it difficult to collect these benefits. When they do so, the worker needs someone to guide them through securing what they are entitled to. Turn to worker’s compensation attorneys for help in collecting this compensation. How can an attorney be of help at this time?
Determining a Fair Settlement
Insurance companies operate to make a profit. To do so, they try to offer the least compensation for an injury or illness sustained on the job. An experienced attorney helps the worker determine how much they should receive for the injuries they sustained. They include things a worker might overlook, such as transportation costs to and from medical appointments.
Affordable Fees
A person might worry that they cannot afford to pay a lawyer to help with this task. Worker’s compensation attorneys receive a percentage of the money the client receives in the settlement. If the lawyer doesn’t get a good settlement, they don’t make as much money. In addition, if they don’t win the case, they don’t receive any money. A person can work with an attorney without fear of taking on a new bill they can’t pay thanks to this payment arrangement.
Beyond Injuries
A worker’s compensation attorney also works with families who have lost a loved one on the job. They help the family seek death benefits. What many people don’t realize is other parties may be named in a wrongful death suit if they contributed to the demise of a worker while on the job. For example, if a piece of heavy equipment is found to have contributed to the workplace death, the attorney may also sue the equipment manufacturer if it can be shown the equipment was defective in some way.
Gathering Proof
A case will only be successful if the injured party or their loved ones can prove the injury was sustained on the job. In addition, the injured party must show how the incident has affected their overall health and well-being. A case won’t be successful if the injuries were minor and the person recovered in only a few days.
If the injuries are severe, however, the effects may extend far beyond the physical. The attorney helps the injured party prove the extent of these injuries and how they have affected the person’s life. This ensures they get fair compensation for what they have suffered at the hands of the employer.
Handling the Paperwork
A worker only has a short window to file a worker’s compensation claim. An attorney helps this individual meet all deadlines and file all paperwork correctly. Any delay is detrimental to the case, but the injured person may have other things on their mind. The attorney works to ensure no deadlines are missed.
Contact an attorney today to discuss an injury or illness sustained on the job. The person injured at work will have peace of mind knowing someone is fighting on their behalf. They can then focus on recovering from the workplace incident, which is the most important thing.
