According to the
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), private employers in the U.S. report over two million work-related non-fatal injuries and illnesses every year. Unfortunately, insurance companies and employers deny some of these workers' compensation claims, and approximately five percent of claims filed each year go to trial, as reported by the
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DOLIR). Common reasons for the denial of a workers' compensation claim include injuries unrelated to work, missed deadlines, and workers' compensation fraud. You should be aware that your employer's workers' compensation insurer can also unlawfully deny your workers compensation claim, and that's where workers' compensation lawyers can assist.
Here's a look at why workers' compensation lawyers are generally effective at their job.
They Gather Evidence Concerning the Injury
Before settling workers' compensation claims, the insurance company conducts an investigation to ascertain the nature of the injury or illness. This is due to cases of workers' compensation fraud, which cause huge losses for insurance providers, per the
Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI). If the insurer denies your claim for baseless reasons, your workers' compensation attorney can conduct a parallel investigation and gather all of the evidence required for the trial.
They Handle the Claim Process
Depending on factors such as the health condition of the victim and the availability of evidence, a worker's compensation claim process can take up to two years, per the
U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). That timeline could be shortened if you hire a competent workers' compensation attorney to handle the claim process. Since the claim process is long and tedious, having someone who is knowledgeable and can take care of everything on your behalf is very valuable.
They Push for Fair Compensation
According to the
Insurance Information Institute (III), the amount of a workers' compensation settlement depends on factors such as the type of injury, amount of premium, and duration of injury or illness. A lack of evidence around these factors during the investigation process can lead to unfair compensation, or in the worst-case scenario, no compensation at all. The good news is that with facts at hand, a workers' compensation lawyer can negotiate for fair compensation on your behalf.
They Protect You from Employer Retaliation
When you sue your employer for workers' compensation, there is a chance that he or she will retaliate against you when the case is over. According to the
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), forms of retaliation at the workplace include salary reduction, job termination, demotion, and verbal and physical abuse. If you fall victim to retaliation after filing a workers' compensation claim, a workers' compensation lawyer can help you file another case against the employer or simply warn the employer before the retaliation actually happens.
Workers' compensation lawyers are generally effective because of the way they typically approach workers' compensation disputes.
If you need any further help with
workers' compensation insurance, call
CF&P Insurance Brokers today at (925) 956-7700.
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