Whether you need to hire a workers compensation lawyer or not depends on a great extent on the severity of your injury or illness and the complexity of your case. Many workers compensation claims are quite straight forward. If your injury is minor and you expect to return to work in a couple of days and your employer admits that the injury is work related, chances are you will not have to hire a lawyer.
When you will need a lawyer:
If your injury or illness is serious or if the case becomes complicated, you need to hire a Chicago workers compensation lawyer. There are situations where having a lawyer is a must:
Denial of claim: It is certainly not unknown for an employer or its insurer to simply deny a claim for workers comp; they do so knowing that many employees simply accept it. The insurers are right, a very high percentage of people that have their claims denied do not appeal. It doesn’t cost anything up front to hire a seasoned workers compensation lawyer and you can rest assured that you will get the best possible settlement.
The settlement doesn’t cover your costs: If you don’t think you are getting the correct settlement, you need independent representation. A workers comp judge will sign off on an agreement if, to him or her, it looks fair. A lawyer will fight to get you the best settlement that reflects the extent of your injuries or illness.
Third party claim: If there is a third party involved and it was a negligent act on their part that caused or contributed to your injury or illness you can sue in civil court. Compensation from civil cases is treated differently and often exceeds what you would expect from a workers compensation settlement.
Insurance companies are backed by teams of lawyers that are charged with the responsibility of minimizing claims. To be on an even footing, you need to be represented by a Chicago workers compensation lawyer.
Workers comp claims can become very complicated, to ensure you get the compensation you deserve you should hire a seasoned Chicago workers compensation lawyer. To discuss your situation you are invited to contact the Shea Law Group.
