Workers’ Compensation: Why You Need to Hire a Lawyer

The process of recovering medical expenses and lost wages are supposed to be relatively straightforward. That being said, Illinois has some of the highest costs related to workers’ compensation insurance in the country. This has caused many to wonder what Illinois is doing differently than other states. It also makes workers’ compensation insurers more likely to deny valid claims.

While many cases of filing a workers’ compensation claim are straightforward, there are a number of potential pitfalls to the process. In this article, we will discuss the role of an attorney in the claims process and why it is always important to retain an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.

Factors in Workers’ Compensation Claims

For those who have suffered severe injuries that require extended rehabilitation, hiring an attorney should be the first option. You want to ensure that the case is handled efficiently and thoroughly. The most common reason for denying a claim is that the insurance company lacks sufficient evidence to honor it. You do not want to get caught in that runaround while you are dealing with your recovery.

In addition, some cases are more complicated than others. For instance, if a box falls on your head, that is rather straightforward. On the other hand, some injuries are developed over years of time. Repetitive stress injuries can impair your ability to do your job and you should still be able to get compensation for that. Insurance companies, however, are much more suspicious of such claims than they are of accidents that happen on the job. Not only are the claims easier to deny but, for you, they are harder to prove. The insurance company will be going through your recreational activities to find evidence that the injury may have occurred in some other way. Repetitive stress injuries complicate claims quite a bit.

Why You Need to Hire a Lawyer Immediately

Insurance costs are very high in Illinois. They take a bite out of a company’s bottom line. Nonetheless, the State of Illinois requires that companies carry workers’ compensation insurance. The tradeoff is that employers are immune from lawsuits filed by their employees. There will be situations in which your employer does not play fair. If they can get away with blaming you for the accident, there will be cases in which they are not required to honor your claim. In some cases, they will retaliate against employees who file claims against their policy. This includes firing them.

In other cases, the settlement offer will not cover all your expenses. In some cases, you may not be able to return to work. Each of these will most likely require that you hire an experienced attorney to litigate your claim.

Talk to an Illinois Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Brassfield & Krueger, Ltd. have helped employees recover insurance money owed to them in the form of workers’ compensation. Contact us to set up a free consultation.