When to hire a Gainesville, Florida Worker’s Comp Attorney

In a perfect world, the workers’ compensation system would provide fair and timely medical care and disability benefits for injured employees.  Unfortunately, our current system is designed to benefit employers and insurance companies more than injured workers. Many employers and insurance companies have highly experienced attorneys working for them to ensure that they pay few, if any, benefits to people who are injured on the job.

Fortunately, an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer can help you get the benefits to which you are entitled, no matter how hard your employer, their insurance company or their attorneys try to work against you.

Hiring a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Gainesville, Florida

Below is a list of instances when you should hire a workers’ compensation attorney in Gainesville, Florida:

  • Your employer denies your workers’ comp claim or harasses you by:
    • Giving you a demotion;
    • Reducing your hours;
    • Cutting your pay; or worst of all
    • Firing you.

Do not put up with a workers’ comp denial or workplace harassment.

 

  • You don’t receive your benefits on-time. — If you don’t receive your workers’ comp check on-time or at all, contact a workers’ compensation attorney.
  • Your workers’ comp settlement doesn’t cover all of your medical bills and lost wages. — Never rely on workers’ compensation to determine whether the settlement they offer is enough to cover your future needs. A workers’ comp lawyer can ensure that you get a fair and reasonable settlement.
  • You’re unable to return to your former job or are unable to perform any work at all due to your work injury. — If you can’t return to work at all, you could be eligible for workers’ comp payments for the rest of your life. Permanent total disability is extremely expensive for the insurance company.  As a result, they will fight hard to prevent you from getting these payments.
  • You receive Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits. — If you receive Social Security and try to settle your workers’ compensation case, your settlement will be more complicated.  Some money from your settlement must be “set-aside” to cover your accident-related medical expenses because Medicare won’t pay for them.  This is called a Medicare Set-Aside, and you should hire a workers’ comp lawyer to advise you about it.
  • You also have a case against a separate at-fault party. — For example, if you’re involved in an auto accident while driving a company vehicle, you might be eligible for workers’ compensation and also have a civil claim against the at-fault driver of the other vehicle.

Your Gainesville, Florida Workers’ Comp Attorney Plan of Action

A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you:

  • File paperwork with the courts to pressure the insurance company to pay your benefits.
  • Develop and present medical evidence in the most favorable manner. Your current authorized treating doctor may be in the pocket of the insurance company.  You may be eligible for change of doctor.
  • Help you obtain an independent medical examination from an unbiased doctor.
  • Estimate the fair value of your workers’ compensation case to ensure a fair settlement, if you decide that you want to settle.

If you need to file a workers’ compensation claim or have been denied workers’ comp, contact Gainesville, Florida workers’ compensation attorney Christopher J. Annis right away. Serving the Gainesville, Lake City and Live Oak areas, we offer daytime, evening, and weekend appointments to best serve you. Give us a call at 352-264-1910 to schedule your consultation.

 

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