This question is a follow-up to the question, “When should I talk to a lawyer following my work injury?” In this section, we address when you should hire a lawyer following your injury at work. These are not the same things. They will deal differently with what you need to look for.
You want to consider hiring a lawyer if you feel like you need guidance and direction through the workers’ compensation process. The workers’ compensation laws in Pennsylvania are complex. They can be difficult for injured workers to navigate without the help of an experienced lawyer. Hiring a lawyer can help injured workers avoid common pitfalls that could negatively impact their workers’ compensation benefits.
Not everyone wants to hire a lawyer. If an injured worker chooses not to hire a lawyer, they are considered a “pro se claimant.” A pro se claimant may elect not to hire a lawyer because they believe the insurance carrier is doing the right thing. They are paying their medical bills, honoring their work restriction notes, and paying them any lost wages they may be suffering – for the time being. Even if the insurance carrier seems to be doing right by the injured worker, the worker may still want to hire a lawyer. This is to receive guidance and ask questions of the lawyer. It is also to have the lawyer ready to step in if the insurance carrier starts to mess with the injured worker’s benefits.
Hiring a lawyer is a personal decision. There are some questions you should ask yourself when coming to your decision. The first is basic: Do I feel I need legal help? If the answer is yes, you should be looking to hire someone. The next step is: can I afford to hire a lawyer to help me? In most cases, you will end up paying your lawyer. There are pro bono services available for the indigent population. But when considering the cost of paying your lawyer, you should also consider the cost of not hiring a lawyer to help you. Are your benefits being challenged? Is the insurance company messing with your checks? Are your medical bills being denied? If you are experiencing any issues with your workers’ compensation, it may be worth the cost to hire a lawyer to fix the problem.
At the end of the day, it is a personal decision about when you should hire a lawyer. It is a risk versus reward analysis about what representation is worth to you. Some mistakes cannot be undone; some mistakes cause irreparable damage to your benefits. Hiring a lawyer may save you more money in the long run by avoiding making these mistakes.
If you have more questions, you can check out our video or contact the firm to speak directly with a lawyer today.