Do I Need an Attorney?
By far, the Number One question our clients have is when they consult with us is, “Do I need to hire an attorney?”
This year Kenneth G. Franconero, PLLC has had the privilege of representing many injured workers. In retrospect, our clients were happy and grateful that they hired legal counsel. Taking a step back for a second, and considering our law firm’s clientele, our workers’ main priority was return to work, and whenever possible, to return to the work they performed before they were injured. Therefore, we have always managed the legal case in such a way so that the client’s returning to work remains of primary importance.
Our clients are not looking for a quick buck. To those unfamiliar with the legal process, injured people who sue are often regarded as looking for a big settlement, and maybe even trying to get more than what they deserve. Legal advertising was almost unheard of until the late 1970s. Now, the highways are checkered with billboard ads from personal injury attorneys, enphasizing maximum recovery for their motor vehicle injury. Daytime TV and local news contain back-to-back ads for accident attorneys. Given the legal advertising onslaught, it is completely understandable that an injured DBA worker would think that his case will be handled like the routine accident case.
At Kenneth G. Franconero, PLLC, our workers’ compensation clients are not personal injury accident victims. Our Defense Base Act clients are fundamentally different in their attitudes and expectations.
Most of our clients are professionals, who want to return to work assisting the U.S. Military in dangerous locations. Our clients this year have included carpenters, logistics experts, computer installers, electricians, surveillance and weapons experts. More than anything, they are proud of their lifelong careers, and their dedication to the U.S. Armed Forces. The last thing that they want to is to cash out their careers for short term financial gain.
At Kenneth G. Franconero, PLLC, our clients come to realize that the reason to hire an attorney has just as much to do with customer service and problem-solving and with maximizing a dollar recovery.
It is the day-to-day problems that are just as important as the big recovery. We spend a lot of time helping clients get follow-up appointments, refilling prescriptions, and timely wage-loss checks. These are the types of situations were adjusters are notoriously slow to respond.
Medical treatment and wage loss payments are the building blocks of any successful workers’ compensation case. If medical care is not provided timely, and the day-to-day problems are not solved, then the case will not be ready for trial or mediation, regardless of how “aggressive” the attorney is.
The devil is truly in the details.
We at Kenneth G. Franconero, PLLC are forever grateful for our clients. We get tremendous satisfaction from helping them. Whether we are able to secure another six weeks of physical therapy, or winning a six-figure award of back wages, we are passionate about what we do.
