Five Times During Your Workers’ Compensation Claim When You’ll Want to Hire An Attorney Immediately

If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, you may be wondering whether to hire an attorney or try to handle your workers’ compensation claim on your own. Generally speaking, it is always a good idea to hire an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to handle your case, but this is especially true in the following scenarios. If you find yourself in one of the following situations, contact us today to schedule your free consultation with one of our attorneys.

1. Your Employer Denies Your Claim

If you’ve already filed a workers’ compensation claim on your own, and your employer has denied it, now is the time to hire an attorney. Employers routinely deny their employees’ workers’ compensation claims, especially when the claims are filed pro se. You need an expert who has dealt with situations like yours to represent you and fight for your rights before it’s too late.

2. Your Employer Agreed to Pay You Benefits but Hasn’t Done So

On the flip side, perhaps your employer has agreed to pay you benefits on your claim, but you haven’t actually seen any payments come through, or the payments have been delayed. Rather than allowing your employer to get away with not paying you, you need an experienced attorney to aggressively fight for you so that you get paid in a timely manner.

3. Your Injuries Prevent You from Going Back to Work in the Same Capacity

If your injuries from your accident were so severe that you were unable to return to work after your accident, or you were able to return to work but only in a limited capacity, you may be entitled to weekly payments to make up for your lost wages. Employers are extremely hesitant to agree to these payments, however, since they can be very costly for employers, so make sure you hire an attorney to fight for your temporary or permanent disability benefits.

4. Your Employer Has Retaliated Against You for Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim

It is illegal for employers in Georgia to retaliate against their employees for filing a workers’ compensation claim. If your employer has fired you, demoted you, reduced your pay or hours, or in any other way discriminated against you for filing your workers’ compensation claim, you need to hire an attorney today to help you fight back. You have certain legal rights during this time, and you need an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to help ensure your rights are protected.

5. An Extraordinary Circumstance Caused Your Accident

Accidents can happen anywhere and at any time, but there are a few situations that go beyond the typical workplace accident. The first is if there was a third party involved in your accident. For example, you were delivering food to a customer while on the job when a third party civilian car hit you. While filing a workers’ compensation claim typically bars you from filing a subsequent lawsuit, in this case, you are able to file suit against the third-party driver even after filing a workers’ compensation claim against your employer. The second extraordinary circumstance is if your employer intentionally caused your accident. In this case, you are also permitted to file suit outside of workers’ compensation. Finally, the third extraordinary circumstance is if your employer does not carry workers’ compensation insurance. Again, you are then permitted to file suit outside of workers’ compensation.

Contact an Atlanta Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today

As you can see, there are quite a few situations that require a professional opinion and help in order for you to succeed in your workers’ compensation claim. Our workers’ compensation attorneys are dedicated to helping injured workers obtain the maximum compensation available to them under the law. If you are looking for an attorney to represent your rights in your workers’ compensation claim, call us at (404) 259-7635 or visit our Atlanta personal injury attorneys website today to schedule your free consultation.