Did you know that about 2.8 million people are hurt at work every year? That means someone gets injured on the job every seven seconds, and that doesn’t even include cumulative injuries that develop and gradually worsen over time. These injuries can be very serious. Medical bills, treatment costs, and lost pay can add up fast and become impossible to handle.
If you were injured at work, you have the right to benefits that help protect you and your family. In order to ensure that you get those benefits, it’s important to work with an experienced lawyer who can help you with your claim.
Listed below are some questions you should ask when choosing a Houston workplace injury attorney.
Do You Have Experience Handling Workplace Injury Cases?
Choosing the right Houston workplace injury attorney is important when it comes to getting the best result for you and your family. You should look for a lawyer who has previous experience handling these kinds of cases. Even a lawyer with years of experience might not be the best fit if they’ve never handled a workplace injury case before. Look for an attorney who specializes in workplace injury claims and understands how they work.
A lawyer with ample experience handling workplace injury cases knows exactly how these cases work. They are familiar with the insurer’s underhanded tactics, common loopholes, and how to deal with the other parties. This is particularly important if you feel anxious or nervous about whether or not your claim will be approved or what the outcome will be.
Have You Handled Workplace Injury Cases Similar to Mine?
This is one of the most important questions you can ask to understand a lawyer’s skills and experience. Finding a Houston workplace injury attorney who knows these cases intimately is the first step.
To give yourself the best chance of success, try to find a lawyer who has handled a case like yours before. This is especially important if your claim is unusual or involves an injury that developed over time, since those cases are harder to prove. Your best chance of getting benefits is working with a lawyer who has handled these cases many times before.
Do You Personally Handle Workplace Injury Cases?
This is a question you might feel awkward asking, but it’s important. You may find a workers’ comp lawyer who focuses only on these cases and has a lot of experience with clients and claims like yours.
But if that lawyer hands your case off to a junior attorney, their experience may not help much. Look for a lawyer who will personally handle your case and can prove it. You should also ask about the results they’ve gotten for past clients.
You want to feel confident that your case is being handled well. Knowing a lawyer’s past success with cases like yours can help give you that peace of mind.
What If I Contributed to My Own Injury?
Depending on the circumstances surrounding your accident, you might feel like your claim has no chance because you think the injury was your fault. Or maybe it wasn’t your fault, but you’re worried there’s no clear way to prove who caused the injury.
This usually doesn’t matter. Being at fault only hurts your case in rare situations, like if you started a fight or acted recklessly, like being drunk at work. If you were injured at work, you have the right to workers’ compensation benefits. This is true no matter who caused the accident or who was at fault.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire You?
Most lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis. This means you don’t pay them unless they win or settle your case. Should your claim be denied, you won’t owe your lawyer anything.
It’s still important to understand how much the lawyer’s services may cost. This includes extra expenses like expert witnesses or investigations. You should know which costs you might have to pay and about how much they may be. The last thing you want is to win compensation and then lose most of it to undisclosed legal fees.
Will I Have to Go to Court?
Early on, it’s hard for a Texas workplace injury lawyer to know if your case will need to go to court. But once your lawyer starts talking with the claims administrator, it usually becomes clearer.
Once there’s more information, your lawyer can tell you if your claim might go to a hearing. In most cases, lawyers try to avoid hearings by working toward a fair settlement.
Parks Law, PLLC
Getting hurt at work can be stressful, expensive, and put your income at risk. That’s why it’s important to find a workers’ comp lawyer who will fight to make sure you get the benefits you deserve. For help protecting your rights and benefits, contact a Houston workplace injury attorney at Parks Law by calling (713) 979-3500 or reaching out online.