Workers compensation is a form of insurance that provides payment of wages and medical bills after a work-related injury occurs. Each state oversees the worker’s compensation benefits system, but benefits are actually paid directly by an insurer that the employer contracts with. Employers pay premiums for the insurance, and the insurance company then compensates workers after the incident. Sometimes a Workers Compensation Lawyer in Ottawa County becomes necessary if the employer or the insurer disputes the severity of the injury or even that the problem is related to the job or the workplace.
After a Workers Compensation Lawyer in Ottawa County resolves the contested claim, the client receives the back payments in a lump sum and continues receiving payments going forward until returning to work is possible. If medical professionals have determined that this person will not be able to return to the job, the lump sum includes compensation to address future needs. The fee the lawyer receives is agreed upon before legal representation begins. It may be a reasonable percentage of the amount achieved for the client. For more information, click here.
In some instances, appealing a claim denial is straightforward, and the issue is resolved quickly. In other cases, the appeal may take several months or even more than a year. This can be immensely frustrating for the person who needs the compensation, but numerous actions may be required. The attorney must file a petition and other paperwork. The individual may need to agree to another physical exam by an independent physician. Interviews with outside parties may need to be conducted. That may include identifying and interviewing employees of the company who witnessed the accident, for example. Mediation sessions may be beneficial. If the dispute is not resolved after all of this, the lawyer will need to prepare to bring the case to trial.
Fortunately, most of the time, there is no dispute, and the insurer voluntarily makes the payments without issue. On those occasions when the worker is dealing with a claim denial or the payments being stopped before returning to work, help from a firm such as Bleakley Law Offices P C becomes important.