At What Point in My Workers’ Comp Case Should I Hire a Lawyer?
Right away.
Although you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for a job-related injury under California law, the insurance company certainly may not make the process easy for you. The experienced Riverside workers’ compensation lawyers at Heiting & Irwin can take some of the pressure off you as soon as you hire us for your case.
You should consider hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer to assist you consulting and preparing, and even sometimes before filing your initial claim. Simply stated, anything can happen when you are dealing with an insurance company, and a workers’ compensation attorney can help you prepare the strongest claim possible.
Schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Riverside workers’ compensation attorneys at Heiting & Irwin to learn more about both how the process may work and how we can help. We take the time to listen and learn before giving you tailored legal advice.
Many Times We Can Wait, But We Suggest Hiring a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Early
We don’t need to enter a case with guns blazing, or in such a way that it may upset an arrangement by which you are already receiving all your benefits. Each case deserves individual consideration. You need a workers’ compensation attorney to help you with your claim. You may be wondering at what point in your case you should get legal help. We suggest strongly that you should seek help from a workers’ compensation attorney at the very beginning of your case to help you prepare for and ultimately present the strongest possible claim. And, of course, you should certainly seek legal help from a workers’ compensation lawyer if your claim has been denied.
You never quite know at the outset how the insurance company may view your case. You may think that you have an airtight claim that would automatically entitle you to workers’ compensation benefits. The insurance company may be looking at things differently. They may do what they can to make things difficult for you. These steps could include denying your claim if it is even a close call.
You Should Definitely Hire a Lawyer Immediately in Certain Types of Cases (How About Others?)
Of course we all agree, if you have a difficult workers’ compensation claim (complex questions of law or facts, etc.), you should certainly contact a workers’ compensation attorney immediately. The problem is that we do not know the challenges that might be involved. For example, the following types of workers’ compensation claims could present difficult issues for you:
- When you have aggravated a pre-existing injury
- When you are suffering from a job-related illness
- When there may be some questions about when and where you were first injured
- You are suffering from an overuse injury
- There may potentially be allegations about your own conduct in the circumstances that led to the accident
- Continuous trauma causing injury
- Stress claims
- The extent of your injury; the disability rating and your need for a future medical provision
You Need a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Without doubt, you should certainly consult a workers’ compensation lawyer if your claim has been denied. Then, you may need to go through the appeals process to force the insurance company to cover your claim. Your lawyer may be able to negotiate a workers’ compensation settlement either before or after you have a hearing in front of an administrative law judge. You would stand little chance of beating the insurance company on your own because they have their own attorneys whose job it is to defend their position at all times.
Workers’ compensation attorneys are usually paid a modest percentage of the money that you receive for your claim, regardless of how much work they put in when they get the case, or even whether they help you win an appeal or assist you in filing a successful claim at the outset. If you try to file your claim on your own and figure that you would get an attorney if it is denied, you may be placing yourself in a difficult circumstance. You may have already damaged your chances.
Another reason to hire a workers’ compensation attorney at the very outset of your case is your peace of mind. You will not have to handle the details of your case on your own. You will have support, knowledge, experience, investigation and advocacy through your lawyer(s). Your attorney has the legal process covered.
Contact a Riverside Workers’ Compensation Law Firm Today
If you have been injured on the job, speak to an experienced Riverside workers’ compensation lawyer at Heiting & Irwin for a free initial consultation or call us today at (951) 682-6400 to speak with a workers’ compensation attorney.
