If you have suffered a minor injury that did not require you to see a doctor or miss any time from work, then you might not need an attorney to help you with a workers’ compensation claim. However, in most other situations you may benefit from working with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer who will fight hard to get you the fair recovery that you deserve.
Five Situations When You Should Call a Workers’ Comp Lawyer
You owe it to yourself to at least consult with a workers’ compensation lawyer if:
- Your employer disputes your claim. If your employer denies your claim and you fail to appeal, then you will not recover workers’ compensation benefits. Some employers or their insurers deny claims hoping that injured employees will not appeal. If this happens to you, then it can cost you your fair recovery and you may be left without reimbursement for all of the costs of your work-related injury.
- You don’t receive fair benefits quickly. This could be a sign that the insurance company is not providing you fair benefits. An attorney can represent you during insurance company negotiations and work to get you the fair benefits that you deserve in a timely way.
- You’ve been hurt so badly that you can’t go back to your old job. Given the extent of your injuries, you should expect that the insurance company may try to pay you less than a full recovery. An attorney can help you determine what a fair recovery is pursuant to Iowa law and fight to get you that recovery that you deserve.
- Your boss or employer is threatening retaliation because you are pursuing a workers’ compensation claim. You should not face any kind of retaliation at work because you are pursuing the recovery that Iowa law allows you to make. A lawyer can make sure that no retaliation occurs or that your employer is held accountable for any retaliation that has already happened.
- You may have a personal injury claim against someone other than your employer. If a third party—someone other than your employer or another employee—caused your work-related injuries, then you could have a third-party personal injury claim. That claim is decided outside of the workers’ compensation system and instead is handled pursuant to Iowa personal injury law.
Additionally, you may benefit from working with a lawyer if you:
- Have a preexisting condition that could make a medical determination difficult after a work accident.
- You are overwhelmed with the workers’ compensation process or uncomfortable advocating for yourself.
Or you may simply have questions about how a workers’ compensation claim works in Iowa and you may want answers. If you would like to learn more about your rights or about how an Iowa workers’ compensation claim works, please contact us today for a free, no-obligation consultation.
