Having an attorney can make the work comp claims process much easier.
The workers’ compensation insurance program exists to protect employees who are hurt on the job and to provide them with much-needed financial benefits while they recover from their injuries. In theory, the process of seeking and collecting work comp benefits seems like a relatively straightforward one: get injured, notify your employer, seek medical attention, file a claim, collect your compensation, take the time you need to heal, and return to work when you have recovered. Unfortunately, things aren’t that simple in the “real world.”
Sometimes, valid claims are denied or delayed by employers who don’t want their premiums to go up or by unscrupulous work comp insurers because of technicalities or for other seemingly innocuous reasons – like “late” reporting, or not seeing a doctor soon after an injury. Claims for “repetitive work exposure” where there is no specific traumatic injury, are routinely denied and require an attorney’s assistance.
Medical expense is often denied by employers and insurance carriers who question the necessity or reasonableness of treatment, and force workers to get treatment through group insurance or some other source. An attorney’s advice can save expenses here.
In other instances, your injuries may have been so severe that you simply cannot return to your original position as quickly as your employer or their insurance company wants you to (or at all), or you have suffered a permanent disability that the insurance company refuses to recognize. This might result in a denial of benefits or a delay in payment that leaves you in a precarious financial situation. An attorney’s advice is always valuable in these circumstances.
The more severe your injuries, the more likely it is that your claims will be challenged by the insurance company, usually through requiring a worker to see an “Independent” (translation: “insurance-preferred”) medical examiner. This isn’t necessarily due to any defect in your benefit application, but could be a simple cost-lowering measure on the part of the insurer. Some people, even those with valid claims, will drop them rather than fight with the insurance company about payment, so it behooves the business’ bottom line to make the process tedious. Insurance companies will also try to “low-ball” settlements for lump sum payments following a permanent disability rating. Accepting any settlement offer without seeking legal advice can cost you money in the end.
Statistically, one of the best ways to increase your chances of successfully obtaining work comp benefits because of a Wisconsin workplace injury or occupational illness is to have an experienced attorney handle the claims process for you. Not only can the skilled lawyers at the Milwaukee law offices of Domer Law promptly and efficiently file your initial claim application, they can also take the reins for any hearings or appeals if those are necessary. To learn more about their services, call them toll-free at 888-353-8384 or send an email today.
