We love doing live chats with people. You can do one now and will chat with an actual Illinois attorney or call us for a free consultation at 312-346-5320 for help anywhere in Illinois.
A recent chatter had a very common question. He was injured on the job when he fell and hurt his back and also had a concussion. This had just happened three weeks prior and he wanted to know when the right time was to hire a workers’ compensation attorney and if he needed one at all.
There is no right answer for everyone. Every case is different. But here are some things that we discuss in helping people make an educated decision about what to do next:
- Is the injury minor or serious? If you strain your back and it resolves with one ER visit, you probably do not need a lawyer. If you have a herniated disc or will need months of physical therapy, you have more to lose. If your medical care gets delayed that could have devastating effects.
- Do you have any experience with the workers’ compensation system?
- Has the insurance company assigned a nurse case manager to your case? If they have, it is a sign that they are looking for a reason to cut off your benefits. These nurses work for the insurance company, not for you, and often illegally impact your medical care.
- Did the insurance company take a recorded statement from you? This is another sign that they are looking to fight your case.
- Does your company have a reputation for being difficult? Many large companies are self insured and will not outright deny claims, but delay checks and medical payments to try and pressure you to ignore your doctor and return to work, even if that puts your health at risk.
- Is the insurance company trying to control which doctor you see or sending you to a doctor of their choosing?
So our general advice is that it usually makes sense to have a consultation with an experienced Illinois work injury attorney. It is free. It is confidential and it is no commitment. It also potentially protects you even when things seem like they are going well. If you do not officially get a case on file with a lawyer, there are some things to worry about, including:
- Being sent to collections for medical bills that are not paid. That is against the law if you officially have a case on file with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.
- Not having a case on file delaying your ability to get before an Arbitrator if things do get bad.
- The nurse case manager illegally talking to your doctor. This is almost always done to interfere with your care.
- You do not know what you do not know. You need to be educated on surveillance, IME’s, which medical doctors have a good/bad reputation, what the insurance company is known for, mistakes you could make that could drastically change the settlement value of your case (such as quitting your job), etc.
For most people it does make sense to get a lawyer early on. It costs the same no matter when you hire one (20% of an eventual settlement) and if you have a good one, they act as a security blanket for you at worst, and stop bad actions by the insurance company at best. And even with their fee, you will end up with more money in your pocket in the end.
But rather than worrying about this issue, I recommend that you just get a free consultation which will give you a chance to ask questions and see if that lawyer is the right fit for you or not. If you would like us to recommend an experienced work injury attorney in your area who has a track record of success, please call us any time at 312-346-5320.
