Workers' compensation insurance is intended to help the workers in the event of an accident or injury that occurs while performing their job. The benefits may include basic medical care or long-term disability payments for serious injuries. However, getting a worker's compensation lawyer involved may become necessary if you are having a hard time navigating the system.
Accident Documentation And Reporting
Anytime you are involved in an accident or have an injury on the job, it is vital that you report it right away. The report or documentation generated can make it easier to prove when and how the injury occurred if you need to file a claim with the company's worker's compensation insurance later.
Oftentimes, the insurance company will pay the medical bills for the treatment you receive—but getting short or long-term disability coverage can sometimes be difficult. Hiring a worker's compensation lawyer to help is a good place to start. The lawyer will use that documentation and the medical reports from your treatment to build a case and present it to the worker's compensation insurance company to try and get you what you need.
In some situations, that documentation is the only proof you have that the injury or disability happened on the job. If you didn't report the incident, getting any help from the insurance company would be challenging, and even an experienced lawyer will have a hard time proving your case.
Out Of Court Settlements
When seeking disability payments or a settlement for an accident or injury on the job, you will most likely find that your worker's compensation lawyer will want to settle the case out of court if possible. A mutually acceptable settlement can happen much faster than taking your case to court, and the cost to you is often much lower.
Your lawyer and the insurance company's lawyers will meet to discuss the case and the settlement options, and then your lawyer will present the offer to you. Remember that if you have a long-term disability, you may not be able to work again, and the proposal needs to address that. Your lawyer will also get a percentage of the award to compensate them for the work they are doing on your behalf, and there will also be taxes that need paying when you receive the payment.
The amount of the settlement you accept needs to be enough to provide the things you need, and if you accept an award that isn't, you can't just go back and ask for more later. Discuss the amount you are seeking and any recurring payments with your worker's compensation lawyer before settling to be sure you will be able to live on that amount while you cannot work.
For more information, contact a workers' compensation lawyer in your area.
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