When our firm meets with a client for the first time, we are often surprised by the reasons why they waited so long to get an attorney.

“What took you so long?” is the question we ask all the time.

Here are the reasons we found why people start out going it alone before (finally) making the smart decision to get an attorney:

1.  “Me and the adjuster are working things out.”

Okay, it’s great that you have an adjuster that seems to be setting you up with treating and sending you workers’ compensation checks.  For now.

Adjusters can be helpful, and some of them do a fairly good job setting you up with initial medical care.
But adjusters are there to save the insurance company money.  Therefore, there are many things that they don’t tell you about.
They don’t tell you about how much your case is worth overall.  They often try to get you back to work sooner than you feel like you should.  Also, they may try to get your doctors to finish up care too quickly.  Or they may downplay certain other problems you are having, related to your injury, like depression or anxiety.  Adjusters may try to steer you away from more expensive treatment.

2.  I’m Not Trying to Get Rich, only trying to get better.

Truth is, most workers I know are just trying to get better and get back to work.  Both “sides” in the workers’ compensation system know that.  But there is this fake news going around that injured workers are lazy and are just staying off work to make money.

When my client complains that their supervisors from work are giving them a hard time for being out on comp, I remind them that they, the supervisors, are not doctors.  Point is, you can be sure that insurance companies are reaping the benefits of this false narrative.

As in injured worker, the law is clear:  you are entitled to medical treatment and a workers’ compensation check while you are recovering, no questions asked.

3.  Hiring an attorney means going to court, and I’m not the litigious type.

There is a lot more to hiring an attorney then going to court and getting a big settlement.  I spend most of my time doing much less glamorous tasks, such as fighting for my clients get the best doctors, ongoing wage loss checks, and medication refills.
When the time comes where we have to fight for something, we will.  Before the hearings officer or the judge.  And settlement becomes another possibility, once most of your treatment has concluded.

4.  I know the law, and I’ll settle for a fair amount at the end.

The workers’ compensation laws are really complicated.  I’m not just saying that because I am an attorney.  It really is.  There are nuances to it, which mean the difference between a small or large award.

For instance, under the Federal workers’ compensation law we regularly deal with, a relatively small back injury, like a disc bulge, may be a more expensive injury, and result in a larger award, then a severe hand or limb injury.  It doesn’t make a lot of sense.  But most workers’ compensation laws are created by statute, not by a long history of jury awards and legal tradition.

Here at KGF, PLLC we would welcome the opportunity to talk to you about your case, free of charge of course, to determine how we can help you with your case.