What Are the Benefits of Hiring a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
Legally Reviewed and Edited by: Terry Cochran
Michigan State laws require all employers to carry workers compensation insurance. This insurance covers any medical expenses and loss of salary due to a workplace injury. Michigan sees about 20,000 claims for workers’ compensation every year as well as an average 2-3 deaths each week.
Sadly, the process for many people who have been injured on the job is not always a smooth one and the workers’ compensation system will often fail them. If or when that happens, are there benefits to having workers’ compensation attorneys representing you?
What Are Your Rights?
Knowing your legal rights in respect to a workplace injury is crucial. But despite the good intentions of michigan workers compensation law, it can often be problematic. With vast experience in this area, the workers comp attorneys at Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. are ideally placed to help you overcome any problems you encounter.
When injured workers make a claim on workers’ compensation insurance, it means they cannot pursue a claim against their employer. However, it does not preclude you from making a claim against a third party where they hold liability. An example of this would be if you were injured by a piece of equipment that was later found to be defective. A third party claim would not affect any entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits.
What Should My Settlement Cover
Knowing what any payments can cover is another essential thing to know if you have been injured at work. Some of the things the settlement can and should cover include:
- All related and reasonable medical expenses, including initial and ongoing treatment, any required rehabilitation or physiotherapy services, and any counseling if needed.
- A percentage of your monthly salary for time off work.
- Compensation for any loss of or permanent damage to any body part.
- Vocational training in the event that the injury prevents you returning to your former role.
- Payment of workers compensation benefits to family members in the event of a death caused by a work related injury. This also includes a lump sum payment of $6,000 for funeral expenses.
In some cases, you may request a lump sum payment instead of monthly payments.
Problems
One of the most common problems experienced in workers’ compensation cases comes from the insurance company dealing with any claim. Any initial offer may represent a sum that is less than you are entitled to and may not cover the expenses incurred or your loss of wages. With workers’ comp lawyers representing you, we can negotiate with the insurers to have that offer increased.
There can also be disputes from the insurers regarding the various rules regarding time in a workers compensation claim. Any workplace accident must be reported within 90 days of it happening and you have 2 years from the date of the accident to file a claim.
The Benefits of Having a Good Attorney
While many workers’ comp claims will go smoothly, many more will encounter hurdles at some stage. The benefits of having legal representation include:
- Negotiating with the insurance company to ensure you receive a just settlement offer.
- Analyze and present medical evidence where there is a dispute over the extent – or cause – of your injuries and show that any injuries are not due to a pre-existing condition.
- Investigate any potential third party liability and prepare a case for litigation.
- Represent you in any and all hearings and appeals.
Final Words
If you encounter any issues with your workers’ comp claim, having the experience of Cochran, Kroll & Associates, P.C. on your side can make a major difference to the outcome of your case. Our long experience in this area of case law and our knowledge of the various laws and regulations means that we can fight on your behalf to ensure a positive outcome.
And as a large part of these cases can revolve around disputes over the medical aspects of your case, we offer a unique advantage of having an experienced nurse attorney, Eileen E. Kroll, as a senior partner. She can analyze your medical records and liaise with medical professionals and expert witnesses to prepare your case. We offer a free initial consultation to evaluate your circumstances and you can schedule one today by calling 1-866-MICH-LAW.
Our law firm never charges a fee unless we win your case.
Disclaimer : The information provided is general and not for legal advice. The blogs are not intended to provide legal counsel and no attorney-client relationship is created nor intended.
