You were injured at work in Richmond and are now under medical care. If you haven’t informed your employer yet, do that without any further delay. Also, keep up with your medical treatment and physical therapy as recommended by your doctor. At this point, you are probably wondering whether you need to hire a Richmond workers’ comp lawyer. In this guide, we are discussing all aspects that matter for lawyering up.
When hiring a lawyer becomes necessary
Ideally, you should contact an injury immediately after getting injured. The workers’ compensation system is meant to be fair, but insurance companies have their tactics and tricks. However, in some circumstances, hiring an attorney becomes even more necessary, including –
- When you don’t understand the workers’ compensation benefits
- When your claim has been denied
- When you need to appear for a hearing before the Commission
- When you have suffered a serious injury
- When your employer refuses to report your injury
- When your employer has retaliated against you
- When you have a third-party claim
How can an attorney help?
A workers’ compensation lawyer knows everything about the laws in Virginia and can guide you on the process. Your attorney can do the following –
- Evaluate what your case is worth
- Determine the factors that can impact your workers’ compensation claim adversely
- Handle all the paperwork
- Find details and witnesses
- Gather other information that may be handy
- Represent you at the hearing
- Negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf
- Minimize your work
Finding the right lawyer
Not all attorneys are skilled at handling workers’ compensation claims. You need someone who takes up such cases as a major part of their practice. While this is a case of injury, you shouldn’t hire any random personal injury lawyer. PI lawyers know the local courts, judges, and defense attorneys, but workers’ compensation lawyers know people at the Commission, which can be handy for your case.
Final word
Don’t shy away from asking questions when you meet a reliable lawyer. Lawyers usually don’t charge a fee when they take the case, but if you win the workers’ compensation claim and get a settlement, they would charge a part of it as their fee. The fee of attorneys is lower than standard PI cases, which is also a great relief. Ask the attorney if they have handled similar claims and what they would recommend for your given circumstances.
