HEARING FRO YOUR WORKERS COMP ATTORNEY

How Often Should I Hear From My Workers’ Comp Attorney? 

Your workers' compensation attorney

How often should you hear from your worker's compensation attorney? When you have a Florida workers’ comp claim, it’s important that you hire an experienced West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorney to make sure you are fully protected and receiving all of your legally entitled benefits. Hiring an experienced worker’s compensation attorney will not cost you anything out-of-pocket. If you decide to have a work comp attorney represent you, you should keep the attorney updated throughout your case regarding medical treatment and employer/carrier provided benefits. There’s no set amount of time regarding how often you should speak to or email your workers’ compensation attorney. You and your work comp attorney may talk frequently in the beginning of your claim or when litigation is heating up. Or, you may talk once a month if the employer/carrier is providing you with the necessary and required benefits and things are going smoothly. As long as you are telling your work comp attorney about your medical treatment and recommendations, and your limitations, restrictions, and work status, that should ensure that your attorney can request and pursue all work comp benefits that you are legally entitled to. You definitely need to inform your attorney of any sudden changes by the employer or carrier. Regular communication between an injured worker and the workers’ compensation attorney is very important.

Unfortunately, the process of securing work comp benefits often takes longer than it should but the Florida law does provide timelines that must be followed and even though much of these timelines are beyond your attorney’s (and your) control, rest assured your attorney will be working hard to pursue and maximize your benefits.

5 Times You Can Expect to Hear from Your Workers’ Comp Attorney

Although you will often be reaching out to your work comp attorney, you can expect to hear from your attorney at various times during your workers’ compensation claim. For example, you can expect a call, text or email if:

1.       Your Work Comp Attorney Needs Information from You to Pursue Your Benefits

In order to prove your rights to certain workers’ compensation benefits, often the fastest way to secure the information needed is from you. The work comp attorney can request various information from outside sources but often, the fastest way to obtain the information and therefore, expedite the process is by asking you to send the requested information. Especially in the initial period of your workers’ comp claim, you can expect your workers’ comp attorney to request several pieces of information from you in order to pursue the appropriate benefits on your behalf.

2.       Your Workers’ Compensation Attorney Has Updates About the Status of Your Benefits

You can expect your attorney to get in touch with you when the employer/carrier has provided updates about the benefits you are seeking or the status of your benefits or claim. Your attorney is often waiting for answers just as you are but when information is finally provided regarded the requested benefits, your work comp attorney will update you as to the status. If you have questions about what an update means for your claim or you are not sure what will happen next, please ask your work comp attorney.

3.       Your Workers’ Comp Claim Is Active But No Action is Needed

During your workers’ compensation case, there may be times when not much is needed from a litigation or legal standpoint. Even if you or your West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorney doesn’t have any updates, you should still update and keep in touch with your lawyer periodically. An experienced attorney will understand your situation and can answer any questions you may have about future treatment, future benefits, or possible settlement.


4.       Consideration of a Settlement Offer

Often, workers’ comp claims end in a lump sum settlement. Settlement in workers’ compensation cases is optional. If the parties decide to settle, and you feel that a lump-sum settlement is in your best interests, your attorney will discuss in detail all of the possible risks and rewards. Your work comp attorney will attempt to negotiate a favorable settlement on your behalf. If the employer/carrier sends a settlement offer to your workers’ comp attorney on your behalf, your attorney will relay that offer to you and discuss the settlement with you in detail. This includes discussing exactly how much you will receive in your pocket, the amount of attorneys’ fees from the settlement, any costs that the settlement covers, and whether there is a possibility for additional settlement money to be offered. Having a full discussion of all your options will allow the injured worker to decide whether to accept the settlement, attempt a greater settlement amount, or fight for additional benefits under the work comp laws.

5.       Important Decisions About Your Next Steps

Along with having enough information to make an decision about settlement, you may also need to make important decisions about treatment and litigated aspects of your workers’ comp claim. Your attorney will contact you any time you need to make an important decision. Your workers’ compensation attorney will provide insights and advice based on experience but ultimately, the decisions you make will be left up to you.


5 Times When You Should Contact Your Workers’ Comp Attorney

You should contact your workers’ compensation attorney whenever you want. You can expect to hear from your workers’ comp attorney on a regular basis when your claim is active. However, do not hesitate to contact your work comp attorney whenever you feel the need to talk about your case. It’s your work comp case and if
you need information or have questions, you should not hesitate to ask your board certified workers’ compensation attorney. You should contact your attorney if you have:

1.       Details that You Previously Forgot to Share with Your Attorney

When you suffer an on the job injury and have a workers’ comp claim, it is important that your work comp attorney knows the details about the accident and prior conditions. If you forgot to share information and suddenly remember answers to questions that were asked of you, please let your workman's comp attorney know.

The details may be the difference between winning and losing a claim.


2.       New Information for Your Work Comp Attorney

You should contact your attorney any time you have new information. This includes the following:
Your employer contacts you about your workers’ comp claim

You receive any letters or other communications from the employer/carrier

You start experiencing new symptoms or side effects

Your authorized workers’ compensation doctor changes your diagnosis or recommends any kind of treatment

Your authorized doctor changes your limitations or restrictions and clears you to go back to work

3. Questions About the Status of Your Workers’ Compensation Claim

While your West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorney is pursuing benefits through the work comp system on your behalf, you work comp lawyer won’t always be given updates about your claim. It is important that you provide the most up to date details of your medical treatment and work status. However, if you have questions about your claim or are wondering about the status, please do not hesitate to contact your workers’ comp lawyer. If anything changes at home or at work that requires an update on the status of your claim, your lawyer will want to know.


4.       Questions About What You Should (or Shouldn’t) Be Doing

There are things you should be doing and things you shouldn’t be doing when you have an open workers’ compensation claim in Florida. Sometimes, things that don’t seem important can turn into a big mistake. If you have any questions about what you should (or shouldn’t) be doing while your work comp claim is pending, contact your work comp lawyer right away. These questions can include the following:


Whether you are able to work (or perform specific job duties within your restrictions)

What you should (or shouldn’t) say to your employer about your condition

What you should do if you have questions or concerns about your authorized worker comp doctor’s medical advice regarding treatment or limitations

Whether you have to pay any out-of-pocket expenses

What activities are ok to be doing outside of work during the recovery process

5. Your Workers’ Compensation Attorney is Waiting to Hear from You

Whenever your West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorney is waiting to hear from you, please respond quickly. Your work comp attorney is often scheduled to handle many events each day so it’s important that you respond as soon as possible so that your benefits can be secured sooner than later. There are often important decisions your attorney won’t be able to make on your behalf without you so your input is important and needed.

Schedule a Free Consultation with a West Palm Beach Workers’ Compensation Attorney

If you have questions about working with a West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorney, we invite you to get in touch with us. We have been representing injured workers throughout Florida since 1978. To schedule a free, no-obligation consultation at Vassallo, Bilotta and Davis, call us at 561-471-2800 or let us know we can reach you online.