7 Reasons to Partner With a Virginia Work Injury Law Firm for Your Case

When you are injured on the job in Virginia, you can apply for workers’ compensation benefits to get the money you need to recover from your injuries. Unfortunately, this is a complicated process that would be hard for most people, even if they weren’t injured.

When you are recovering from an injury, you should hire a Virginia work injury law firm to help you get as much compensation as possible. Here are seven reasons.

1. Work Injury Lawyers Provide Deep Knowledge of Virginia Workers’ Compensation Laws

On paper, it seems like filing a workers’ compensation claim in Virginia is reasonably easy. The state offers several options for filing a claim and provides complete instructions online. However, while these instructions are complete, they are not particularly clear.

Work injury attorneys are intimately familiar with these instructions. They have years of experience helping clients file for benefits and know the steps inside and out. With the right lawyer representing your claim, you don’t need to worry about making mistakes that will cost you money.

2. Work Injury Attorneys Can Help You File Accurate and Timely Claims

One of the major stumbling blocks to filing a claim is that the process has several deadlines. These deadlines come quickly and may be too much when you are trying to recover from a serious injury.

The insurance company also requests significant evidence to process your claim. If you make a mistake when submitting any of this evidence, it could delay your claim or even result in the insurance company denying it. An experienced attorney is conscientious of these deadlines and requirements and will make sure they are all met.

3. The Attorneys at a Work Injury Law Firm Have Strong Negotiating Skills

Even if you are represented by a lawyer, insurance claims rarely end up in court. Typically, when there is any type of disagreement about benefits, your lawyer will negotiate with the insurance company for a fair settlement.

Every member of the legal team at an experienced law firm usually has extensive experience negotiating with insurance companies. They know how to recognize whether an offer is fair and can accurately determine the value of a claim.

4. A Lawyer Can Guide You Through the Appeals Process if Necessary

While hiring a lawyer early in the process can usually help you avoid the appeals process, there are always cases where the insurance company refuses to act in good faith. When that happens, you have the right to be represented by a workers’ compensation lawyer throughout the appeals process.

Work injury lawyers are just as familiar with the appeals process as they are with the rest of the process. Many workers’ compensation attorneys plan for contingencies like appeals long before the insurance company denies a claim or offers a subpar settlement.

5. Lawyers at Work Injury Law Firms Know How to Access and Preserve Medical Records

One of the most important types of records the insurance company will need from you before it writes you a check is your medical records. Unfortunately, medical records aren’t as easy to access as you might expect. Hospitals and doctor's offices often have almost as much bureaucracy as an insurance company.

Experienced lawyers know the best ways to access medical records. Once they gain access to any medical record, they will preserve it for later use. Insurance companies often request that records be provided to them in a specific way, and experienced lawyers will preserve the records in a way that makes it easy to fulfill that request.

6. Your Attorney Will Take Steps to Prevent Employer Retaliation

It is illegal for your employer to retaliate after you file a workers’ compensation claim. Unfortunately, just because it is illegal, that doesn’t mean it never happens.

Your lawyer will take steps to prevent employer retaliation from the moment you file your claim. This is particularly important if you work for an employer who has a history of retaliation against its workers.

To keep an employer from illegally firing you, your lawyer will typically try to put everything in writing. Also, they will gather evidence that you were an employee in good standing before the injury. If you start to get written up or harassed after the injury, they will also keep records of that activity.

7. Work Injury Lawyers Work on Contingency

One of the main reasons people avoid hiring lawyers after a workplace injury is they are worried that it will be too expensive. However, workers’ compensation lawyers aren’t like criminal defense attorneys who charge several hundreds of dollars per hour for their services.

Instead, work injury attorneys take their cases on contingency. This means you don’t pay them anything if they fail to get you compensation. And if your lawyer successfully gets you compensation, your fee is only a percentage of the money they win for you.

FAQ

Can I Sue My Employer After a Work Injury?

If your employer maintains workers’ compensation insurance, typically, you are prohibited from filing a lawsuit unless you have exhausted all appeals.

How Soon Will I Get Benefits?

You should typically get benefits within a few weeks of filing for them.

When Should I Contact a Work Injury Lawyer?

For the best results, you should contact a lawyer as soon as you are injured.

Contact Commonwealth Law Group After a Work Injury

Were you seriously injured while working in Virginia? State law allows you to file a workers’ compensation claim to get money to help you recover from your injuries. However, the process of getting money can be difficult for many workers, especially after they have suffered an injury. Contact an experienced work injury lawyer at our law firm immediately to get help securing the compensation you need to recover.