Preparing to Meet With a Workers’ Comp Lawyer
If you’ve set up a consultation with a workers’ compensation attorney, you’re already on the right track. Workers’ comp cases are complex, and many people make the mistake of trying to handle their own claims. Even worse, some people skip the process entirely, returning back to work days after their injury, only to find they’re more seriously hurt than they believed.
A workers’ compensation lawyer can help represent your interests—making sure you get the benefits you deserve and the medical care you need. But even though you know you’re making the smart choice by putting your case in the hands of a professional, it may still feel daunting. What do you need to bring? What should you ask? And what should you expect in your initial consultation?
What should you bring to a consultation with a workers’ compensation attorney?
In order to give you a fair assessment of your case (and your chances), an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer will need the right information and documents to review at your initial consultation. These include:
- Details about your employment, like your hire date and your rate or salary
- An account of the workplace injury, including when and where it occurred
- An account of how and when you reported the injury
- When you saw a doctor and what treatment you’ve received since then
It’s also helpful to bring the written report of the accident, your recent medical records, the names of your providers and witness statements. Because workers’ compensation claims hinge so much on the medical assessment of your doctors, you’ll want to share if you’ve dealt with a similar injury in the past.
What questions should you ask a workers’ comp lawyer?
Workers’ compensation law can be deceptively simple, which is why many injured workers try to handle their own claims. But it’s also why attorneys in other practice areas sometimes dabble in workers’ comp. When you meet with a prospective workers’ compensation attorney, be sure to ask:
- What percentage of your cases involve workers’ compensation?
- Who will be working on my case?
- What kind of communication can I expect?
- What references do you have from past clients?
An experienced workers’ comp lawyer understands the potential missteps in the process, as well as the medical complexities of common workplace injuries and local physician and clinic reputations. When you’re faced with a workplace injury, you have the right to choose a doctor from the employer’s posted panel of physicians. A lawyer can help you choose the right doctor from the list—one who’s most likely to give a fair assessment of your injury. A workers’ comp lawyer can also guide you through the sometimes challenging process of switching doctors or getting a second opinion when you feel like your initial treatment wasn’t right.
At the Law Offices of Laura Lanzisera, we specialize in Georgia workers’ compensation cases, meaning we understand how the system works. We also avoid taking on a huge caseload, allowing every client to have his or her first appointment with Laura and an experienced paralegal. We keep our clients updated on the progress of their cases, and we’re always available for questions.
Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
If you’ve been injured on the job, you need an Atlanta workers’ compensation attorney. Contact the law offices of Laura Lanzisera today for a free consultation.