An accident attorney represents people who’ve been injured on the job and at work. We, here at Allen Schulman and Associates, understand how difficult it can be to have your claim processed in a timely manner and how little reimbursement is awarded from the insurance companies in some cases. We strive to protect workers and ensure that their claim is processed efficiently and effectively.
If you are injured while working then you may be unsure about if you should retain an accident attorney. The decision is yours but it’s important to understand that there are several situations with accident claims where an accident attorney can make a valuable difference.
How Your Accident Attorney Can Help Your Claim
There are many ways that an accident attorney can help your claim. They offer valuable expertise and insight into the world of workplace injuries, especially when employers or insurance companies are being difficult.
For example, if your employer’s insurance receives your claim and then determines that there was no injury they may deny your claim. However, it’s not uncommon for insurance companies to deny claims without fully investigating the issue. Your accident attorney will help ensure that your claim is fully investigated.
In some instances, after a workplace injury, you may have a hard time contacting your employer or the insurer. This often occurs when there is a breakdown in communication between the employer and the insurer. The employer reports the accident and assumes the claim is processed, but the insurer may be behind on their caseload or it may be passed along the chain of command without notification. Your accident attorney will step in and make sure that your claim is moving along as needed. You won’t have to worry about playing the middle man and trying to get things moving because your accident attorney will know what to say to speed the process along.
On the opposite side of the spectrum, you may experience intrusive and overbearing contact from your employer. They may push you to come back to work before you’re ready or before you’ve been medically cleared to return to work. They may even threaten your job if you haven’t returned by a specific time. With an accident attorney in your corner, your employer will be less likely to use bully tactics, and if they do you have your attorney to help address the issue.
Similarly, when you do return to work, your employer may not be willing to accommodate you and your injury with modified work duties. Sometimes workplace injuries can affect people in unexpected ways and some employers can be unsympathetic. You may be expected to immediately return to the level of performance that you were at before you sustained the injury. However, this is not always possible as many injuries have not only physical limitations but emotional or mental consequences as well. If your employer does not respect the healing process or realize the capacity of your injury then they may write you up if you aren’t able to perform as expected. You may also face hostility from your coworkers that may not understand the full extent of your injury. Your accident attorney will help ensure that your workload is modified to accommodate your injury. An accident attorney can also help you pursue further compensation if the relationship with your employer has been damaged beyond repair.
Other Ways that Accident Attorneys Can Help You
Your accident attorney can do so much more than just helping you reach a settlement with your employer’s insurer. Accident attorneys can also help influence and change policy to prevent similar or other injuries from occurring. Each company should have a safety program and protocol. This information should be conveyed to all employees, however, sometimes this does not occur and this can result in preventable injuries. Your accident attorney can help influence policy so that accidents that should have never happened don’t happen again. This ensures a safer working environment for you, and for your coworkers.
Your accident attorney can also ensure that you don’t lose your health insurance or other benefits while recovering from a workplace injury. While there are labor provisions in place that can temporarily preserve your benefits during your absence, oftentimes you are required to pay for the benefits yourself. Depending on the severity of your injury, you may not be able to pay these expenses out of pocket right as needed. Your accident attorney can help ensure that you are adequately compensated and taken care of over the course of your recovery and transition back into the workplace.
There are many reasons why you should retain an accident attorney in the event of a workplace injury. You should never feel pressured or bullied to not seek representation. An accident attorney has your best interest in heart and has the experience and knowhow to stand up for their clients and stand up to big insurance companies.