It’s a reasonable question. Most of my potential clients have never needed an attorney, and none of them ever wanted to be in a position to need one for a workers’ compensation claim. Some are concerned that if they get an attorney that they’ll be viewed as someone that’s trying to game the system, or that their employer might retaliate against them.
Unfortunately, most workers are unaware that workers’ compensation claims are treated much differently than other types of insurance claims. The insurer or self-insured employer are working to “manage the claim” (i.e. minimize their losses) from day one, and the law provides them with many ways to do this.
Consultations are free for workers’ compensation matters, and we’re happy to give an injured worker the low down on the issues that tend to come up in claims and what we do about them. The more serious the injury, the more important it is to have this information early on. There is a lot of strategy involved when benefits are contested, and strategic advantage can be lost by waiting too long to act.