Six Tips for Hiring a Denver Workers Compensation Attorney
What’s worse than getting injured at work? Perhaps your workplace not giving you the proper compensation for medical bills and lost wages due to recovering from your accident. However, if your work isn’t cooperating with workers compensation laws, you don’t need to worry. Instead, consider hiring a Denver workers compensation attorney to help you get the settlement you deserve. Below, are six tips to help you get started working with a local attorney today.
1. Record Your Accident at Work
First, you should record your accident at work to begin your workers compensation claim. After all, there’s no way you can receive a payout if there’s no evidence of your accident at the actual workplace. You should record your accident to upper management, who will file the necessary paperwork and ensure you have a ride to the hospital or your house to start recovering from your injury. However, the most important thing to remember is that someone is there to witness your injuries. Without this evidence, filing your workers compensations claim can get a lot tougher. Once your accident is recorded, you should speak to your health insurance provider and start working on recovering from your injury, so that you can return to work as quickly as you can. As great as workers compensation is, it will only cover you for so long.
2. Talk to Your Health Insurance Provider
Speaking to your health insurance provider is an important step because it’s your responsibility to communicate with them about your workplace accident and find a doctor in your network to begin treating your injury. It’s crucial you give your health insurance provider as much information that you can about the accident so that they can contact your workplace to confirm necessary details of your injuries. Also, with their knowledge of healthcare workers in your network, you can book a doctor’s appointment and begin treatment to remedy your injuries, no matter how extensive they may be.
3. Look Up Local Workers Compensation Attorneys
If the company you work for isn’t cooperating with workers compensation laws, you should reach out to an attorney specializing in workers compensation cases. Although you may be tempted to take matter in your own hands, a professional attorney will have much more knowledge of the appropriate laws and help you get the settlement you deserve. You should look up local workers compensation attorneys in Denver and book a few consultations with them to determine which attorney you want to choose to handle your case. After all, you can only learn so much from looking at their about page.
4. File Necessary Paperwork
The first thing you’ll have to do when meeting with your attorney is recollect the workplace accident that occurred, as well as filing the necessary paperwork for your case. Although no one enjoys paperwork, this information will solidify your argument for getting the workers compensation you deserve. However, if you need help while filling out this paperwork, your attorney should be more than happy to give you a hand. Fortunately, in this modern, digital age, most of these forms can be completed online from the comfort of your home. If you’re slowly recovering from your accident and can’t easily walk, this is great news for you! Just keep an eye out for an email your attorney will be sending you with the attached forms you’ll have to fill out promptly.
5. Take Your Claim to Court
Once your paperwork is completed, and your attorney has worked on the argument for your case, you’ll be ready to head to court (unless your work company has decided to settle out of court). Before your court date, it’s essential that all the required paperwork has been filed in advance, as you may not be able to enter the courtroom until your case has been properly recorded. Fortunately, you don’t need to worry much about this process, since your Denver workers compensation attorney will take care of it for you. Although going to court can leave you a bit nervous, remember to take deep breaths and stay positive. No one enjoys having to go to court, but it will all be over soon enough. Plus, if you need tips for braving your court date, feel free to ask your attorney, who has done it hundreds of times before.
6. Enjoy Your Settlement
Once court concludes, you should be able to finally enjoy your workers compensation settlement. Although the journey may be long, your medical bills can finally be paid, and you can obtain the lost wages while you’ve recovered from your injuries. Now is also a great time to reconsider the company you work for due to how complicated it was for them to reward you with workers compensation. After all, your years of service should be rewarded, not restricted. However, don’t forget to take some time to thank your attorney for their help and appreciate how much work you’ve done yourself as well.
7. How to Avoid Workplace Accidents in the Future
Although not every workplace accident can be easily avoided, most can. To prevent workplace accidents in the future, make sure you stick to regulated rules, such as asking for help lifting something heavier than you can handle, operating equipment safely, and avoiding strenuous activity. With these tips in mind, you can prevent accidents for yourself in the future at work, as well as other coworkers. However, if you feel that many workers in your building don't know enough about avoiding accidents, which may have been a cause of your own, consider speaking to your manager to ensure everyone is up-to-date on staying safe in the workplace.
There’s a lot to keep in mind when working with a Denver workers compensation attorney, from the day you report your accident to the day you take your claim to work and can finally enjoy your settlement. Hopefully, with help from the tips above and the assistance from Mark A. Simon, attorney at law, you can get the settlement you rightfully deserve. To get started call our office today, right here in Denver, CO.