Finding a worker’s compensation attorney can take a little longer than most people realize. It is important to take the time to find the right one, as this will help the person get the funds they need to cover medical bills, lost work, and other expenses related to their injury. When someone is looking for a worker’s comp attorney, there are a few things they should consider.
Check for Experience
When looking at workers compensation attorneys, be sure to consider how much experience they have. While a new lawyer may be fine for many cases, if the case is complex or there are any issues, it’s better to choose an attorney who has a lot more experience. This experience allows them to know exactly what to do to handle a wide range of situations to help their clients.
See How They Communicate
Look into the various communication methods they use, such as text, email, and phone calls, as well as how fast they will respond to any questions. While this will vary depending on how busy they are at any given time, it is important to choose an attorney who provides rapid responses, usually within a day or two, so there’s no need to wait weeks to hear back from them.
Look At Their Fees
In most cases, clients aren’t going to be asked to pay the legal fees upfront, but it is still a good idea to find out how expensive they are and how much of the money received from the insurance company will go towards these fees. It’s also a good idea to ask about other expenses that may need to be paid upfront and may not be covered by the settlement. Some fees may need to be paid upfront but will be reimbursed with the settlement. Understanding these fees can make it easier to budget for the upcoming case.
Ask How They Negotiate
Attorneys should have more than the basic negotiation skills. In fact, they should be very experienced and able to negotiate with the insurance company to get a much better settlement. Ask about times they’ve had to negotiate a settlement before, how they handled it, and what they might have learned from the situation to gauge how hard they work at negotiations.
How Everything Feels
Don’t forget to just get a feel of the relationship with the lawyer during the consultation and listen to the gut feeling. Clients need to choose an attorney they feel comfortable with, they feel will represent them properly, and they feel will work hard for them. Though this can be a bit ambiguous, it is important to take the time to think about how the meeting went and whether it feels like the attorney will be a good fit for the case.
Finding the right worker’s compensation attorney can take some time, but it is important to go slow and choose carefully. A consultation is the best way to learn more about the attorney, to get a feel for what they think about the case, and to find out if they’re going to be a good choice. During the consultation, consider the various things mentioned here to make it easier to decide whether or not it’s a good idea to work with the attorney.
