Every year, approximately 1 percent of construction workers suffer a fatal injury (the highest rate in any industry). Sadly, many injured workers don’t know how to seek compensation. Most of them are usually persuaded against involving a construction site accident attorney by their supervisors or employers. They are often told that they do not need a lawyer as the company has workers’ compensation insurance. However, not involving an attorney can be a huge mistake. Here’s how attorneys assist injured workers in navigating workers’ compensation claims.
Professional Consultation and Case Evaluation
One key thing a construction site accident attorney can help you determine is whether you have a case. They’ll gather details about your case to determine the best course of action. Your attorney can also educate you on how workers’ compensation works and whether you qualify for compensation.
With this information, it can be easy to decide whether to file a claim or not.
After suffering injuries at a construction site, filing the claim paperwork can be overwhelming. You might have difficulty understanding the information needed to fill out different forms and attach the documents. Besides, you might not know the deadline for filing the claim.
Involving a construction site accident attorney can help you overcome these challenges. The attorney has filed numerous other claims and can file yours.
Help Determining the Value of the Claim
One of the biggest challenges you’ll face when seeking workers’ compensation is determining the value of your claim. You most likely have no idea how much you’ll spend on current and future medical costs. Also, if you suffered a permanent injury, it can be hard to calculate how much you should get to cover the lost future income.
A construction site accident attorney can help you answer all these questions. The lawyer has handled similar cases and knows how much compensation these victims received. Using these figures, they can estimate how much your claim is worth.
Help Negotiating with the Insurance Companies
Dealing with insurance companies after suffering a construction site injury can be frustrating. Most of these companies try to minimize the payout or deny claims altogether. They may also employ different time-wasting tactics to delay the claim process as much as possible.
Workers’ comp attorneys can act as your advocate when dealing with these companies. They can negotiate with the insurer on your behalf. The attorney can also alert you when the insurers are wasting time and legal actions you can take to compel them to fasten things.
If the insurance company makes a settlement offer, the lawyer can advise you on whether to accept it or make a counteroffer. They can guide you on when to settle and when to go to trial. If you go to trial, the attorney will help with gathering evidence and picking the jury. They’ll also present your case in court and persuade the jury and the judge why you deserve compensation.
Construction site accident claims can be complex and time-consuming. Many injured workers who do not involve an attorney usually get a raw deal. So, consider involving a lawyer if you or a relative has been injured at a building site. Look for a competent construction site accident attorney with a great track record to handle your case and increase the odds of getting fair compensation.
