Did you know that 5,333 people died from work-related injuries in 2019?
It is unfortunate to have a pulled muscle, slipped disc, or any other life-changing injury as you strive to earn a living.
You will be scared by the pain and possible inability to work again. Thankfully, it is possible to ease this tragedy with workers’ compensation.
Although you can handle the situation without involving the law, hiring a lawyer is your best bet. The price you pay the lawyer to represent you is a drop in the ocean, considering how much they help you recover.
Are you still sitting on the fence on whether or not you should hire a workers’ compensation lawyer? Read on for more reasons why you need to lawyer up your compensation.
Your Employer Denies the Case
To try and save their reputation and money, your employer may deny your case. They can claim that you did not sustain these injuries at work. This mainly happens if the injury you have started as a small issue at work but deteriorated elsewhere.
In other cases, the employer may claim that you are not their employee, especially if you have not worked with them for long. With the help of a workers’ compensation lawyer, you can prove that the employer’s allegations are false.
This way, you receive all the wages and compensation that you deserve.
Your Employer Delays Compensation
After your on-job injury, the company should provide you with the necessary paperwork and start your compensation as soon as possible. Unfortunately, you may realize that your employer is dragging his feet dealing with your case.
Even if they accepted the responsibility, it has been past 30 days since you were injured, and there is still no action. Such silence may result in you never getting the compensation in the long run.
Therefore, work with a lawyer to help put the employer on their toes and get your compensation.
You Sustained a Permanent Disability
Permanent disability will mean that you change your lifestyle or even career. You may not be in a position to get back to work for a long time or even at all.
For this reason, your compensation will cost your employer and insurer a fortune, which they will strive to avoid paying in full. Additionally, they may claim that your injuries are not as serious as you say and do not need huge compensation.
Therefore, after you realize that you have injuries that make it impossible to return to work, get in touch with a workers comp lawyer Georgia since you may have a huge case ahead.
The Settlement You Get Doesn’t Cover Everything
As mentioned earlier, your insurer’s goal is to give you the lowest compensation possible. In this attempt, you may fail to agree on issues such as the rating given by the doctor. They may require you to get an independent medical exam (IME) from a doctor they choose.
More often than not, this doctor will give a lower rating than what you had. Therefore, if you feel that what they settle for it is not enough, do not force yourself to be contented since it is most likely lower than you deserve.
Instead, get a lawyer who will help prove that your compensation is inadequate and why you need more.
You Had a Pre-existing Condition
Did you have a pre-existing condition before the accident? If yes, the insurer will take advantage of this condition to get out of the compensation. This will make it difficult to navigate the claim even if the conditions are unrelated.
For instance, if you had a neck problem then got an injury when lifting a heavy box, they will claim that this is not a work-related injury. The same is likely to happen if you have a disability and you happen to slip or fall.
A good lawyer will provide evidence that the scenarios are unrelated and help you get what you deserve.
You Receive Other Government Benefits
In case you are a beneficiary of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Permanent Partial Disability, your benefits may reduce if you receive a worker’s compensation.
A personal injury lawyer will help you structure your settlement and minimize the overall SSDI benefits that are reduced. You will also need to work with a lawyer if you plan to apply for these benefits after the injury.
They will help you better understand the process and guide you on how to maximize your benefits. Additionally, they help you avoid cases of being accused of fraud.
You Face Retaliation After the Injury
Your rights as an employee remain even after you have sustained the injury. For this reason, if your employer changes how they treat you and start any form of retaliation after the injury, you should involve the law.
This retaliation could be in the form of demoting you, reducing your working hours, being fired, or being forced to return to work too soon after the injury. An employer who retaliates you for filing compensation claims violates public policy.
An attorney will help protect your employment security and get the right workers’ compensation even from such an unfair employee.
You Are Overwhelmed by the Workers’ Compensation Process
Regardless of the size of your injury, the first thing that comes to mind after the accident is how to get treated.
For this reason, you may not have enough time to learn the process and jargon entailed in the workers’ compensation.
Additionally, you may be too emotionally drained to start any court proceedings. Your lawyer will help handle the tough part of the compensation, and you concentrate on recovering.
Moreover, they will explain the law parts of the proceedings in layman language, your rights, and expectations from the case. The lawyer will also help you evade any mistakes that could cost you the compensation you deserve.
Is It Necessary to Invest in a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
Sure, you do not always have to call a lawyer as soon as you have even a minor cut in your workplace.
However, if you have a serious injury, you will need to hire a lawyer to help tilt the scales of workers’ compensation benefits in your favor.
Reach out for more information on hiring a worker’s compensation lawyer and start your journey towards getting the compensation you deserve.