How a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help an Injured Employee

Workers Compensation Lawyer

While on the job, workplace accidents can happen to employees. A worker may fall, trip, slip, or hurt themselves in some other way. These injuries can arise due to an environmental hazard or poor safety protocols. Injuries can also happen due to one incident, or from the accumulation of repetitive motions overtime. In such situations, a workers’ compensation attorney can assist employees who have been hurt on the job to obtain financial compensation for the incident.

Q: What types of workers’ compensation benefits are available?

A: Workers’ compensation laws enable employees to receive various benefits, depending on injury severity. Examples of available benefits could include permanent total disability, permanent partial disability, temporary partial disability, wage reimbursement, vocational rehabilitation, and medical coverage.

Q: Are there laws for workers’ compensation benefits?

A: Employees who suffer from workplace accidents may be able to receive benefits depending on the laws for their state. The overall idea is the same, but each state may have differences when it comes to who is covered, how much, and how long the benefits can be used. Workers’ compensation programs were created as a way to provide the employee with the support they need in order to recover from the workplace injury.

Q: Can an employee receive these benefits regardless of who was at-fault?

A: Workers’ compensation programs were established to help prevent disputes between employer and employee when work-related accidents occur. The factor of who was at-fault isn’t of so much importance. However, there are specific circumstances where an employee may be denied workers’ compensation benefits. Employees who had drugs or alcohol in their system, were committing a crime, or intentionally self-inflicted the workplace accident, are unlikely to be approved for these benefits.

Q: How can a workers’ compensation attorney help me?

A: The goal of any attorney representing an injured worker, is to ensure their rights are being protected and are receiving a fair amount of benefits. An employee who feels they are being treated unfairly, may meet with an attorney for assistance. A workers’ compensation attorney may also perform duties such as:

• Conducting discovery
• Organizing medical evidence and accident records
• Litigating cases in front of a judge or referee
• Drafting legal documents
• Taking depositions and statements from parties related to the case

Q: What kind of skills should I look for in my workers’ compensation attorney?

A: There are many skills to consider when hiring an attorney to assist you in a workers’ compensation claim or dispute. Skills can include things like litigation experience, knowledge of workers’ compensation laws, proficient written and verbal communication, and strong research abilities.

Q: When is the right time to talk with an attorney?

A: Ideally, an employee receives legal guidance from the very beginning. An employee who only goes to a workers compensation lawyer Abingdon, VA relies on once things have become a complicated mess, may have missed out on the chance to have a large portion of the problem prevented. An employer may be less likely to retaliate or violate the employee’s rights, if they know an attorney is overseeing how the workers’ compensation claim is being handled.

Thank you to our friends and contributors at The Law Offices of Mark T. Hurt for their insight into workers compensation and how an attorney can help with your claim.