How A Lawyer Can Help With Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
In Maryland, the majority of employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. All states have some form of workers’ compensation statute now. Workers’ compensation insurance, which is required by statute, ensures medical treatment and paid time off for any employees who are injured at work and as a result of their employment. In exchange, it prevents them from bringing a lawsuit against their employer to collect for their injuries. When properly utilized and implemented, this arrangement can benefit both parties. Without this insurance, employers would not be required to provide any benefits to injured employees for months or even years until negligence is established in court. Additionally, negligence can be difficult to prove, and is not required to successfully file a workers’ compensation claim. However, this system does not always function as it is intended to, and this can leave injured employees without the resources and support that they are legally entitled to.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer for my Workers’ Compensation Claim?
So you may be wondering why you would need a lawyer for a workers’ compensation claim if filing one prevents you from bringing a lawsuit. As a matter of fact, lawyers can be a critical part of getting your claim approved. What many employees do not understand is that workers’ compensation claim adjusters are not on your side. It’s important not to think of them as customer service representatives that are there to help you. All of the questions they ask are designed to find reasons not to cover your injury. After all, if workers’ compensation insurance companies paid out every claim that was filed, they wouldn’t be in business. For this reason, they must work to decrease the number of payable claims. They may reject your claim if it lacks sufficient evidence, if it did not happen for the benefit of your employer, or if you were harmed intentionally. However, they may also reject a perfectly valid claim, and they often do. It is very common for legitimate claims to be rejected the first time that they are filed. A lawyer can help you avoid and navigate these pitfalls and level the playing field between you and experienced insurance adjusters. A lawyer can also help to make sure that you get the benefits that you are legally entitled to without having to endure unnecessary delays. Ultimately, the advocacy that a lawyer can provide you when navigating the workers’ compensation process will often be the difference between getting coverage and compensation and getting nothing. It can be overwhelming coping with a serious injury at work, and even more so when the resources you have been promised seem to disappear from under you. Hiring a lawyer allows you to focus on healing and let someone else fight your battles.
Talk to a Maryland Workers’ Compensation Attorney
If you have been injured in the workplace and are struggling to get the benefits that you are entitled to, contact the experienced Maryland workers’ compensation attorneys at Berman | Sobin | Gross LLP and schedule a free consultation.
Resource:
wcc.state.md.us/Gen_Info/WCC_Benefits.html
