No one really wants to need a workers compensation lawyer but many people do. In 2013, there were more than three million occupational injuries and illnesses that were reported. If you are hurt or made ill while at work, you may have a workers compensation case to make. You will need a good workers compensation law practice. Here are some things you can do to find the right workers compensation attorneys for your case and situation.
- Talk to the people you know. You should ask your friends, members of your family and coworkers if they know any good workers compensation law practices. If you have used a lawyer for any kind of legal help, you should ask them. No, the divorce lawyer you went to cannot help with your workers compensation claim but they may know someone who can. Getting a personal recommendation is one of the best ways to find quality goods and services. Even if you do not go with the same workers compensation law practice as your friend or coworker, getting some names can help get you started on the right path.
- Look online. You can do a Google search but you can also check out sites like Noloandnbsp;and the American Bar Association. Many cities and localities have Facebook groups and pages aimed at promoting local businesses. When you have a few workers compensation law practices to review, check out their websites and look to see how much of it is devoted to these kinds of cases. If the law firm has testimonials, check them out. It is unfortunately way too easy to make some of these up so you need to verify them.
- Take your time and talk to several law firms. When you have a list of a few workers compensation law practices, you should take some time to meet with them. All law firms offer free first consultations for prospective clients, you should take advantage of this so that you can get the right workers compensation law firm. The best way to handle this is to look at this like a job interview. That means you should bring a list of questions to ask. If the workers compensation law practice is not willing to take the time to answer your questions before you hire them, they will not take the time after. Here are some questions you should ask:
- What made you go into this law specialty? You want someone who will really fight for you and have a passion for the law.
- How long have you practiced this kind of law?
- How much of your time is spent on workers compensation cases?
- What is your track record with workers compensation claims?
- Can you see this case through to the end?
- If my claim is rejected and I need to file an appeal, can you help with that?
- Can I talk to some references? The law firm should be wiling to let you speak to clients.
- Who will be working on my case? Most law firms use other legal professionals for a lot of the grunt work. You should be able to meet the other people who are working on your case.
- What are your fees? You need to be able to afford your lawyer. Every law firm handles their billing differently so you should be totally clear on what fees you will pay and what they will cover. For example, the workers compensation law practice may need to do some research and find experts to testify on your behalf so you need to know how much that will cost.
- What do you think my chances are?
- What kind of timeline will my case take?
- When you are talking to different workers compensation law practices, you need to find a lawyer with whom you can communicate. They should treat you with respect and you should have a good deal of confidence in both the lawyer who will be working on your case and the law firm. The person you hire does not have to be your best friend but you do need to be able to really confide in them.
If you take your time, you will be able to find the right workers compensation law practice for your case and situation.
