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When Should You Bring In An Attorney For Your Worker's Comp Claim?

5 December 2017 by Richard Ramirez

Getting hurt at work can be devastating. Depending on your injury, you could be out of work indefinitely. The first though that typically comes to mind is how are you going to support yourself and your family. Worker's compensation is used for this very purpose. The goal of worker's compensation benefits is to financially support you and pay for your medical needs while you are out of work.

Unfortunately, it can be confusing when you are going through the worker's compensation process. You may be wondering when or if you may need an attorney. The following are some things to keep in mind when you are considering an attorney for your case:

Dealing with a Paperwork Inundation

Once you file for worker's compensation benefits, you will encounter quite a bit of paperwork from your employer. The insurer providing the benefits to your employer is going to work to attempt to defend itself. This is not an uncommon practice, as the insurance company is in the business of paying out as little money as possible. If you feel confused and bombarded with the claims process, an attorney can be a huge benefit.

Know When to Get Your Attorney Involved

Many times, you will not need to involve your attorney right away. In many states, there is a pay without prejudice period, which is a period of time that you can be paid for your injuries from the insurer. The point of this period is to help get your payments going as soon as possible. This allows you to get paid when any investigations commence. You will still have rights to defend your claim at this time. Hiring an attorney during this period to work on your claim is not often necessary as the process is fairly straightforward and not worth the expense to you.

However, should a problem arise where the insurer halts payments or makes any changes that are not to your benefit, it is ideal to involve your attorney to intervene on your behalf.

When you are filing a worker's compensation claim, it is best to have an attorney on retainer as you never know when you will need legal assistance. If you are unsure if you will need an attorney, it is best to go ahead and contact one in the event that you need help. It certainly never hurts to be prepared, especially with something as important as your livelihood.

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