A workplace injury can be incredibly difficult thing to deal with. If you’ve recently been injured at your workplace, make sure to hire an East Chicago personal injury lawyer to help you. Have questions about the process? Here are a few answers.
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Ask a Work Injury Attorney: 7 Frequently Asked Questions
1. Should I Hire a Lawyer?
When it comes to filing a lawsuit, the first question that most people have is should they hire a lawyer? Many people believe that representing themselves can help them save money while still having a shot at a good settlement.
But if you don’t good legal representation on your side, you could end up making some big mistakes. You don’t have the same kind of training that a lawyer does, after all. You should always make sure that you have a lawyer on your side to represent you in any kind of legal case.
2. What Counts As a Workplace Injury?
If you have been injured in your workplace, you deserve to be fairly compensated. But before you can file a lawsuit, you have to understand if you have a valid case in the first place.
A workplace injury is an injury you received at work either on company property or while on company business. There are several different types of workplace injuries, including repetitive stress injuries, slip and fall accidents, falling objects, and vehicle-related injuries. Speak to work injury lawyers Houston to see if your injury could count as a workplace injury.
3. What Do I Do to File a Complaint?
If you are seeking out worker’s compensation for your injury, there are a few steps that you’ll need to take. First, you will need to seek out medical assistance for the injury that you’ve incurred.
You will also need to report to your employer that you have been injured. This will need to be done before the deadline, which varies by state. Most states’ deadlines range from 7 to 30 days. Remember, you should also make sure that you have a qualified lawyer on your side to represent you.
4. What Kind of Evidence Do I Need?
When you are filing legal action against another party, the burden of proof is upon you as the plaintiff. That means it’s your role to gather all the necessary evidence to prove that the other party is at fault for your injury.
Your lawyer can help you determine what evidence is necessary and gather it efficiently. Some things your lawyer may help you gather include any medical documents you received for treating the injury, along with any photos or videos of where the accident took place. Witness testimony can also provide very important evidence.
5. How Long Will My Case Take?
When you are seeking compensation for a workplace injury, it’s likely important for you to get that compensation as quickly as possible. While money can’t take away your injury or undo the damage that’s been done, it can make dealing with it a lot easier.
Unfortunately, it’s difficult to say how long a particular workplace injury case might take to resolve. Every situation is different. Depending on your own, it could take anywhere from just a few months to several years. No matter how long it takes, you can trust your lawyer to be with you every step of the way.
6. How Much Money Will I Get?
You might be wondering how much your case is worth. Different cases will get different settlements, and the amount of money that you receive will depend on several factors.
One of the ways that your lawyer will help you with your lawsuit is by helping you maintain realistic expectations as to the amount of money you can expect. If you are offered an initial settlement by your workplace’s insurance company and you and your lawyer don’t believe it to be fair, your lawyer will help you negotiate for something better.
7. Should I Communicate Directly With the Insurance Company?
Your workplace will have its own insurance company to help them deal with situations like these. If you’ve been injured on the job, you will likely hear from your workplace’s insurance company.
It is very important to avoid direct communication with the insurance company as much as possible. These companies will aim to pay you as little as possible. They might take advantage of your lack of knowledge in the legal field to this end. Instead of communicating with them directly, tell them to reach out to your lawyer.
Getting injured on the job can be incredibly traumatic and challenging to deal with. If you’ve been hurt, you deserve to be fairly compensated while you recover from your injury. For your case to have the best possible shot, you’ll want to have a qualified lawyer on your side.
