If you’ve been injured on the job, you might be wondering whether to hire a lawyer to assist you with your claim. The answer is most likely, yes. But, to help you in the decision-making process, here are some facts about workers’ compensation lawyers in Missouri:
- Costs Nothing Upfront
In work comp claims, lawyers represent you on a contingency fee agreement. This means that the attorney will only be paid a portion of your settlement or Award at the end of the case. If you’re not awarded any benefits from the case, you won’t owe the attorney anything. This means you have nothing to lose when hiring a lawyer. In Missouri, attorneys’ fees must be approved by a work comp judge, and are usually just 25% of the settlement or Award.
- Specialized Knowledge
Workers’ compensation laws used to favor workers since the purpose of the law was to get workers back to work without expensive litigation. Now the insurance company has the upper hand and often find a reason to deny or delay claims from the start. The judge cannot give you legal advice, nor can they tell you when a settlement offer is unfair. A workers’ compensation attorney has the experience and knowledge to make sure you get proper treatment and just compensation.
- Prevent Retaliation
If your employer knows that you have an attorney, they are less likely to retaliate against you. Think of an attorney as an insurance policy. They are there to ensure that you are treated fairly, and with respect, throughout the claim process.
- Fair Settlement
An insurance claims adjuster’s job is to try to keep insurance payouts as low as possible. They have no incentive to pay quickly or make a large payment. A workers’ compensation attorney will know when an offer is fair to your claim and will fight to make sure it is. Usually, an attorney can have you seen for an Independent Medical Evaluation by a doctor that is not hired by the work comp insurance company, to give a much higher partial disability rating, to counter their doctor’s lower rating.
- Protect your future needs
When your case settles, it is over. However, you should consider the future. If there are future medical costs, the insurance company should have to pay them as part of any settlement. If you are receiving Social Security disability, Medicare or Medicaid benefits, a poorly drafted settlement agreement can impact your future benefits. An experienced attorney will be sure that you’re protected.
The Hines & Wilson Law Firm has more than 50 years of experience with workers’ compensation claims. We have a refined and specialized knowledge to ensure our clients just compensation. If you’ve been hurt on the job, contact us. You can call us at (573) 443-4500, our toll-free number (877) 473-4500, or email us info@hineslawfirm.com for a free and confidential consultation about your work comp claim.
