Michigan work injury attorney discusses when you need a workers’ comp lawyer and the various types of clients we represent.
Our role as work injury attorneys in Michigan is to educate and protect individuals hurt on-the-job. We explain legal rights including entitlement to medical treatment, lost wages, and vocational rehabilitation. We stand up against insurance companies who dispute workplace injury benefits for bad reasons. Here you will find out when you need a workers’ comp lawyer and some types of clients that we represent in Michigan.
Category 1: Workplace injury benefits are currently being paid.
When do you need a workers’ comp lawyer? We think immediately because it can help level the playing field. A large percentage of our clients are receiving workplace injury benefits yet still want professional assistance. It is important to deal with minor issues before they explode into major problems.
We have represented individuals for years without the insurance company even knowing about our involvement. We can get involved to doublecheck insurance company math, give advice about light duty job offers, assist with vocational rehabilitation, and settle the claim when the time is right.
Access to quality medical treatment is one of the most important benefits under workplace accident law. Individuals have the right to select their own doctor after 28 days from the start of medical care. It is critical to have a doctor on your side who will support the claim you file. Watch out for nurse case managers who are the eyes and ears of the insurance company. They will try to control medical costs and work restrictions at your expense. You need a workers’ comp lawyer whenever medical treatment does not get approved.
Do not count on the insurance company telling you about all available workplace accident benefits. It is shocking to see the numbers of people who are not getting what is required to be paid under Michigan law. For example, relatives should be compensated for providing up to 56 hours of attendant care per week. This is to help with activities of daily living after surgery. The hourly rate should equal what a professional would charge. There is only an attorney fee if additional benefits are obtained.
Category 2: Workplace injury benefits have been denied.
We have clients who are denied workplace injury benefits from the very start. This typically happens when an employer refuses to cooperate and make a claim with the insurance company. Watch out for employers who ask you to lie about how the accident occurred in exchange for cash payments under the table. These promises are never kept, and it can jeopardize future workplace injury benefits. You need a workers’ comp lawyer immediately in this situation.
Our clients also find their workers’ comp benefits suddenly cut-off. Insurance companies use the independent medical examination (IME) to justify disputes. These doctors are handpicked by insurance companies and earn large sums of money testifying against people hurt on-the-job. It is important to challenge biased medical opinions in court.
Some of our clients are told by insurance companies they are only partially disabled. This is based upon post-injury wage earning capacity (PIWEC). Phantom wages from jobs that might not exist get subtracted from weekly checks. Do not let the insurance company get away with reducing weekly payments and causing financial distress. In this situation you need a workers’ comp lawyer before weekly checks are reduced, if possible. Medical and vocational evidence needs to be developed so this can be avoided.
Our work injury attorneys never charges a fee to evaluate a potential case. Our law firm has represented injured and disabled workers exclusively for more than 35 years. Call (855) 221-2667 for a free consultation today.
Related information:
Notice Of Dispute From Workers’ Comp: What Does It Mean
