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Tag: navigating worker’s compensation system

Choosing a Worker’s Compensation Lawyer

Do your homework if you’ve been injured at work and need a worker’s compensation lawyer. You need someone who has experience in your specific situation. An attorney with expertise in worker’s compensation in your state. Referrals are a great place to start your research. Just keep in mind that the attorney you need is usually not the lawyer who did your will or documents for your friend’s business.

Research Before Choosing a Worker's Compensation Lawyer
Research Before Choosing a Worker’s Compensation Lawyer

One chapter of my book, The Dark Side of Injury, is dedicated to the pros and cons of working with an attorney. Engaging a worker’s compensation lawyer changes your relationship with your employer. However, some circumstances require the help of an attorney to resolve.  Some of these are:

  • The insurance carrier denies your worker’s compensation claim
  • Your employer fires you after you file a worker’s comp claim
  • Your employer takes disciplinary action against you after you file a worker’s comp claim
  • You don’t receive the correct payment amount from the worker’s comp insurance

I recommend starting your attorney research with your state’s Department of Licensing. Consultations with an attorney are usually free, so take the time to interview several experienced worker’s compensation lawyers. Ask about past cases, outcomes and fees. It’s also important to ask if his/her personal network includes experts who may be applicable to your situation.  There’s a checklist in my book to help you develop a list of questions when you interview an attorney.

You’ll want to keep a detailed log of your attorney visits. I repeat this in every blog because it is so important. Working through the worker’s compensation system takes time, and there’s no way to remember all the dates and specifics without a detailed log.

Check out my book, The Dark Side of Injury, for more checklists and tools to help you work with a worker’s compensation lawyer. I wish you the best possible outcome on your worker’s compensation journey.

4 Worker’s Comp Roadblocks When Your Claim is Denied

Worker’s comp roadblocks can multiply! If you are injured on the job, worker’s compensation is supposed to pay medical expenses that are necessary to diagnose and treat your injury. In addition, it should also provide disability payments while you can’t work. It may pay for retraining and other benefits if you can’t return to work due to the injury. But, the worker’s compensation system is far from straightforward. There are roadblocks on every corner at a time when you need it most.

Worker's Comp Roadblock On Every Corner
Worker’s Comp Roadblock On Every Corner

Worker’s Comp Roadblock No. 1 occurs when an employer says your injury didn’t happen on the job. Or, they can report that you suffered the injury while you were violating company policy. When worker’s comp denies the claim, you’re facing an uphill battle. An attorney is your first line of defense.

Worker’s Comp Roadblock No. 2 can appear after you’ve hired the attorney. Suddenly, your employer can’t accommodate your work restrictions, so you’re laid off. While you may receive unemployment, it’s not enough to see you through. You lose all your work-related benefits, including medical insurance.

Worker’s Comp Roadblock No. 3 looms just around the corner when you find that you can’t even pay your living expenses while you’re fighting the claims. In addition, medical bills are escalating. A major illness is a setback even for people who feel they are set financially. Creditors may be closing in as bankruptcy nears.

Worker’s Comp Roadblock No. 4 begins when you start living under a microscope. In many states, worker’s compensation can hire investigators to watch your every move. The idea behind this is to disprove your injury. It’s no longer your word vs. your employer’s word. The worker’s compensation system is set up to challenge you on every corner.

Disability insurance helps keep you afloat if you had the foresight to purchase it before the injury. Unfortunately, many people don’t recognize the importance or feel they can’t afford it. After the injury, it’s too late.

Document every conversation. Document every medical appointment. Document everything. Documentation will help you navigate around the roadblocks. My book, The Dark Side of Injury, outlines the steps and resources you need to work with the worker’s comp roadblocks. If you’re facing a battle with worker’s compensation, don’t walk blindly into the meetings. Read my book so you’ll know what to do.

The Dark Side of Injury Offers Resources to Navigate Worker’s Compensation

I just launched my new book, The Dark Side of Injury. Navigating the worker’s compensation system requires more than a map. You need a step-by-step guide with resources for worker’s comp to see you through. The Dark Side of Injury offers resources to help you navigate through the system.

"The Dark Side of Injury" Offers Resources for Worker's Comp
“The Dark Side of Injury” Offers Resources for Worker’s Comp

Too many times, news is about people who are trying to “beat the system”. Get rich schemes make news. What doesn’t make the news is the hardship that many people endure due to a work-related injury. For most, it’s a matter of finding effective treatment and staying financially afloat.

When personal injury strikes at work, it can change your life forever. Medical treatment alone can financially wipe you out! I personally experienced the worker’s compensation system, and that’s where my story begins.

I had to navigate this system when my husband injured his back at work. After his injury, our family learned many lessons about the American legal and worker’s compensation systems. As a medical provider myself, I thought I knew the nuances of these systems. Nothing could be further from the truth! You need resources for worker’s comp.

Initially, I started writing my book, The Dark Side of Injury, because I was angry and hurt. Many fraudulent acts deserved to be exposed. Reliving my experiences through writing the book has been healing. Now, my objective is to provide resources for worker’s  comp and tools to help others (business owners, families and individuals) who must deal with these systems.

The book includes my personal experiences, checklists, how-to guides and other resources for worker’s comp. Knowing what to do and where to go is a tremendous help as you navigate the systems of work-related injuries, malpractice and the associated legal world. 

If you or someone you know is fighting an uphill worker’s compensation or legal battle, The Dark Side of Injury book will answer many of your questions. Information on how to find a competent doctor and attorney is vital to your health and financial stability. Plus, tips on navigating the legal and worker’s compensation system offer new insight into those murky areas.

As someone who has walked miles in your shoes, I understand your frustration and despair. My wish is that you let my experience, told in The Dark Side of Injury, help you and your loved ones through this difficult time. ~Debra Muth, ND, WHNP, APNP, BAAHP