Important Questions To Ask Before Hiring A Workers Compensation Attorney
Posted on: 30 December 2015
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Were you injured at work, causing you to lose out on your paycheck? Are you out of work indefinitely and you don't know what to do? If you were injured on the job, this can make you eligible for workers compensation money. Unfortunately, this can mean a prolonged court battle as you try to convince a judge to award you money for your pain and suffering. For the best possible results, you should definitely consider hiring an attorney to represent you. But before you hire the first attorney that you find, here are some questions you might want to ask them:
How many of your cases are workers compensation cases? Some law firms will handle both car accident cases and workers compensation cases. While workplace injuries can be the result of an accident, the two areas of law are vastly different. Depending on the state you live in, the statute of limitations can be different and there are different court documents that need to be filed. For best results, you want a lawyer who focuses on workers compensation cases, not one who only gets a handful of cases a year.
What is your success rate? While every workers compensation case is going to be different, a higher success rate makes it more likely that your case will also be successful. Make sure to ask what percentage of those successes were out of court settlements, versus needing to go through the entire court system. This should give you a better idea of how long it might take for you to receive whatever money is owed to you.
How much do you charge? Each workers compensation attorney that you talk to will probably charge different fees and different types of fees. Some may only take a percentage after your case is successful, while others will charge an hourly rate. You may even find a few that will only charge you a flat fee up front. Make sure to also ask if they will need any sort of retainer, before they begin working on your behalf.
How often will I receive updates? If your initial compensation claim is denied, this can result in a seemingly endless wait while your attorney works on and files even more paperwork. Even when there is nothing of importance to update you with, your attorney should let you know at least weekly where the case stands. For example, if he or she can do nothing but wait to hear back from your workplace's insurance company, then that's what you need to be told.
For more information, visit sites like http://www.lshlaw.com.