Workers compensation claims are notoriously challenging. There are numerous laws that must be followed to file one and getting compensated can be tricky if you make even one mistake. For this reason, among others, if you suffer an injury while performing your work duties, you’ll want to hire a top workers comp claim lawyer in California because they have to have vast experience and knowledge of the workers compensation legal field to properly protect your rights.
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They Know the Available Benefits
There are several types of workers’ compensation benefits available to injured employees. You need an attorney who understands the differences between benefit types to ensure you file the right kind of claim. For example, your injury could be eligible for permanent total disability benefits, permanent partial disability benefits, temporary partial disability benefits, medical benefits, wage reimbursement benefits, and vocational rehabilitation benefits.
You might even be entitled to more than one type of benefit, but if you hire an attorney who doesn’t have much experience in the field, you might not get the compensation you deserve. Plus, the best workers compensation attorney will have access to physicians who can make the determination of your injury’s degree to help decide which benefits to claim.
They Negotiate On Your Behalf
The art of negotiation is critical when you’re trying to get a third-party to pay for the injuries you received while on the job. After all, an insurance company doesn’t want to pay anything it doesn’t have to pay. This is why they will often offer a low settlement the first time you submit a claim. If you accept this offer, you won’t be eligible to get any more money from them, even if you discover later that the amount isn’t enough to cover your expenses.
Most attorneys are skilled at negotiation since that’s a major part of their job, but experienced workers’ comp attorneys have to be even better at negotiation than other lawyers in other fields. Workers’ comp attorneys must do everything possible to negotiate an appropriate settlement for their client so they don’t have to go through the ordeal of a trial. However, they must also be prepared to go to trial if that becomes necessary.
They Investigate
Facts are extremely important in any workers’ compensation case and you might not be able to provide the type of information that will result in the appropriate settlement you deserve. For example, if you were injured because of faulty equipment, there could be more liability on your employer’s part than you are aware of. A workers’ comp attorney will have access to investigators who can look into the circumstances surrounding your injury and discover anything that will boost your case. They will ensure that if your employer was negligent and their negligence resulted in your injury, they will face the consequences. And if they weren’t negligent, the investigator will find that out too.
Conclusion
You can’t afford to leave your workers’ comp claim in the hands of just any attorney. Make sure you find the best one in your area to make sure you receive the representation and compensation you’re entitled to.