Did you know that over 94% of employees in the U.S. are covered by workers compensation insurance? Workers compensation kicks in after an employee is injured or becomes ill because of the workplace. It’s important to note that workers compensation is a tradeoff of the right to sue. If an employee accepts the compensation, they cannot sue later for the employer’s negligence in having caused the injury to occur.
If you get hurt while working, and your employer seems reluctant to provide compensation, then you might need to contact workers compensation lawyers. Be careful, though, because there are several things a compensation lawyer might not want to tell you. Here are three facts that might surprise you.
1. Compensation Doesn’t Mean Not Working
What happens when the doctor says you can work again? Some people assume that they can continue receiving benefits. However, you have to perform what is known as a “good faith job search.” This means you need to see if there is a position available with your old employer, and then widen the search to others who might hire you. This is applicable even to those conscripted to “light duty” work, and you might have to end up taking a pay cut. To offset this, you may be eligible for “partial disability” benefits.
2. It’s Not Easy to Fake an Injury
Workers comp lawyers who don’t have your best interests at heart might encourage you to fake, or play up, the severity of your injury in order to get better disability benefits. Contingent fees, after all, can be anywhere from 10% to 40% of your total awarded benefits. What they might not tell you is that about 50% of private investigators are hired by payment industries, such as insurance companies. If you get caught faking, you could not only lose your benefits, but be sued in court yourself.
3. You Might Not Need Workers Compensation Attorneys if Your Injuries are Mild
Did you know that not all workers compensation cases require the help of a lawyer? Make sure you’re not paying unnecessary fees to someone for a settlement you could have easily collected yourself. If your injury is very minor, for example, not only is the settlement you will get likely to be small, but having to fork over 30% of it to a workers compensation lawyers wouldn’t make a lawsuit worth your time. It’s also worth keeping in mind that, no matter how good your lawyer is, many states have maximum amounts you can receive. Florida’s max weekly rate, for example, is currently $827.
What’s your experience with workers compensation lawyers been like? Let us know in the comments. More can be found here: www.azhurtonthejob.com