Those who have not gone through this process often risk either getting less compensation or missing out altogether on their compensation claim.
Most workers are aware that workers’ compensation is available to them in case they get injured on the job. However, few of the workers have more than passing familiarity with how the compensation works.
Therefore, those who have not gone through this process often risk either getting less compensation or missing out altogether on their compensation claim.
For a long time, Modesto has been known to be a calm city. Over the last few years, however, the city has undergone radical modernization and development.
Consequently, there has been an increase in work-related injuries.
The good news is that work-injury lawyers in Modesto, such as Arash Law, can walk you through the entire compensation process and help you recover compensation for injuries, including lost wages and medical bills.
Instances Where I Should Represent Myself
Though we encourage our readers to seek legal advice on any compensation claim, a few instances may work out for you if you represent yourself.
The keywords here are a few.
Some of these include:
- Injury is minor with no complications
- Employer acknowledges the incident that happened at work
- You don’t have a pre-existing condition to complicate the matter
Here, you can seek the attorneys for legal advice; at the very least, a compensation lawyer will make you better informed and prepared to deal with the employer and the insurance company.
Instances Where I Should NOT Represent Myself
There’re other reasons why you would need the services of a professional. And in the section below, we look at the five common reasons.
Evaluating the Claim
Most businesses are in it to maximize profit and keep the expenses as low as possible. So, it’s not uncommon for employers, or even insurance companies, to offer low or even unjustifiably unfair settlements to the claimants. It does not matter whether your employer is cooperating, but claimants are easily arm twisted to accept an unfair offer.
Other employers, on the other hand, do not offer the settlement in goodwill, meaning that they might compensate you, but not to the right amount.
So, it’s always a good idea to have a workers’ compensation attorney to evaluate the exact and true value of your claim.
An attorney will critically assess your case, determine the cost of the injury, and even factor in future medical expenses.
In a nutshell, they will let you get compensated for an amount that is fair and adequate.
File your Claim
Like any other legal process, filling a compensation lawsuit is an arduous and challenging task for many.
See, compensation cases vary from case to case and are filed differently.
For instance, if you are seeking compensation for a broken limb, you will first have to prove liability, show evidence, and more.
Basically, filing a workers’ compensation claim is not as easy as it sounds, and if you’re not a professional, it’s easy to lose all or settle for less.
With an attorney, however, they will prepare all the necessary documentation, including the nature of the accident. They will also ensure that you see a medical practitioner, notify the employer, and even respond to the insurance provider.
Protecting your Rights
Employers are looking to protect their brand, while insurance companies want to minimize the compensation and spend the least amount of money.
In the melee, you might find the claimant’s rights getting violated constantly, especially if they don’t know anything about their rights.
With an attorney, however, you can rest easy knowing that none of your rights are getting infringed upon through the entire settlement process. This is because the attorneys work on your behalf and are focused on the best course of action for your interests.
The attorneys are knowledgeable and understand the current laws regarding workers’ compensation and this will ensure your rights are not violated in the process.
File Third Party Liability
In most cases, claimants usually have one option, and that is one for filing a lawsuit against their employers.
However, there are instances where there are other parties involved.
It happens when the employer is not the sole cause of an accident.
For instance, if multiple contractors are working on a single project, claimants can file a complaint to capture all the parties involved.
In such instances, it’s always hard separating the parties involved and hence, the reason to seek legal services.
Appeal a Denial
It’s not common for the workers to fail to get compensation, especially if they represented themselves. There’re a plethora of reasons why a claim can be denied, including late filing or even incorrect filing.
An attorney, however, can review the case at hand and see whether the case can be appealed.
The above list is by no means exhaustive, but it goes ahead to buttress the importance of having a workers’ compensation attorney by your side.
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