Norfolk Workers’ Compensation Attorneys

Steps to Take Prior to Consulting a Norfolk Workers’ Comp Attorney

Uncertain about the next steps after incurring a job-related injury? It’s imperative to promptly report any injuries, even if they might have been caused by your actions, as long as no unlawful activities were involved. In situations of work-induced illnesses that evolve gradually, such as mesothelioma, or repetitive stress injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome, it’s vital to notify them as soon as a medical professional establishes the diagnosis and affirms its connection to your job.

It’s of utmost importance to relay your injury to your immediate supervisor or employer right after it transpires, regardless of its severity or whether it leads to absence from work. Ensure your report includes the date, time, and the context of the injury. We advise submitting this information in written form. If a physician diagnoses you with a work-related illness, notify your employer promptly. Any injuries must be relayed to your supervisor or the person tasked with compiling injury reports.

Proactively reporting injuries, documenting medical findings, diagnoses, and bills, along with filing your claim, will notably enhance the strength of your case in the event that your employer seeks to dispute or diminish your workers’ compensation claim.

Is a Workers’ Comp Attorney Required in Norfolk?

While every worker has the right to represent themselves when initiating a worker’s compensation claim, attempting to do so could place them at a significant disadvantage. Legal firms representing workers’ compensation insurance providers defend their clients vigorously, working hard to diminish or reject the benefits of injured workers. It’s critical for people injured in a workplace accident to find experienced and resourceful legal representation that can fiercely advocate on their behalf.

Even if an employee is presently benefiting from workers’ compensation, a consultation with a seasoned attorney can clarify if the ongoing benefit arrangement is sufficient and can assist the worker in safeguarding against potential challenges to their benefits or medical treatments by the insurance agency.

For acute job-related injuries or ailments, legal guidance is often invaluable. Whether you’ve experienced an injury, developed a job-related sickness, or feel you’ve faced injustice, seeking a Norfolk workers’ compensation attorney will help give you an edge. Even if you feel equipped to handle matters independently, an attorney can steer you through your case from inception to conclusion, earning their fee only when your case prevails.

Why Should I Consult a Workers’ Comp Attorney?

The workers’ compensation system, while set up to offer prompt and fair recompense to hurt workers, often seems skewed in favor of employers and insurance providers. A seasoned workers’ comp lawyer in Norfolk would stand by you, guaranteeing that you’re accorded the dignity and consideration you rightfully deserve.

By choosing to be represented by a workers’ compensation attorney, you shield yourself from having to converse directly with the insurance firms; your attorney will undertake this task. Moreover, it’s common for insurance adjusters to organize independent medical evaluations, usually involving a physician funded by the insurer. Such doctors might understate your injury or suggest a different cause. You’re obliged to attend these assessments, and non-attendance could lead to a forfeiture of benefits. A workers’ comp attorney in Norfolk will steer you through this process, updating you on major developments while you concentrate on recovery. They also work to ensure that the medical assessment of your injuries is impartial and thorough.

Dedicated workers’ comp attorneys tirelessly aim to maximize the compensation for the damages their clients suffer. It becomes particularly vital to hire a workplace injury attorney under these circumstances:

• The employer dismisses the claim or delays in disbursing the necessary benefits.
• The settlement offer from the employer falls short in covering medical bills and lost income.
• The accident-induced injury bars the worker from resuming their original job.
• The worker is incapacitated from any work due to the injury.
• The injury drastically hampers the worker’s work capability.
• The worker either receives or aims to secure Social Security disability perks.
• The employer doesn’t have workers’ compensation insurance.
• The employer retaliates after a worker’s compensation claim is filed.
• The injury resulted from a third-party’s actions or grave negligence on the employer’s part.

Even if litigation is not on the horizon, engaging our Virginia-based workers’ comp team can aid you in maneuvering through the complexities that arise when dealing with your employer and its insurance company.

How Do Workers’ Comp Lawyers Help?

Pond Lehocky Giordano LLP, renowned nationally for our proficient team of workers’ comp attorneys, is committed to assisting workers who, following workplace accidents, face unjust refusals of their rightful claims. Tapping into our long history of defending laborers, our Virginia attorneys lead clients through the complex and taxing journey to acquire their due compensation every day. Our expertise spans a wide range of workplace injury cases, including:

• Damage to all body regions: including but not limited to the spine, eyes, respiratory system, and limbs.
• Recurring strain injuries like carpal tunnel and tendonitis.
• Hearing impairment or loss.
• Brain injuries, including concussions, due to accidents like falls.
• Injuries resulting from extreme temperatures or events like electrocution.
• Diseases from toxin exposure such as mesothelioma or Black Lung.
• Muscular damages, fractures, and other physical traumas from activities like lifting.
• Workplace fatalities.

We also represent clients in third-party claims. While workers’ compensation usually means no fault attributed to employers, those hurt at work can take legal recourse against makers of faulty machinery or products that contributed to their injury, besides their workers’ comp claim. Such claims often arise from hazardous work environments, inadequate training, or malfunctioning equipment.

Navigating Medical Assessments for Workers’ Comp Cases in Virginia

Once a workers’ comp claim is lodged, employers can ask for an Independent Medical Review. This lets their medical professional comment on the injury or ailment’s severity. Often, the objective is to minimize your condition, allowing the insurer to reduce or negate your benefits. While employers or their insurers might assert that this review is obligatory, it’s not always the case. A Norfolk workers’ comp attorney can determine its actual necessity.

Pond Lehocky Giordano LLP prides itself on its dedicated in-house medical unit, driven by a single mission: assuring workers’ access to top-notch medical care. Our team ensures fair, thorough, and empathetic evaluations, giving workers the optimal opportunity for recuperation.

Understanding Workers’ Comp Benefits in Virginia

Successful claimants are usually entitled to a compensation equivalent to two-thirds of their pre-injury gross weekly earnings. However, this can vary by state. This holds true for Virginia, however: successful claimants may be entitled to compensation totaling up to 2/3rds of their typical wages based on their earnings for the 52 weeks prior to their workplace accident. This amount may be limited by the statewide maximum reimbursement amount

Different kinds of workers’ comp benefits include:

Wage Loss Benefits: Compensation for earnings lost due to full or partial disability.
Death Benefits: For dependents of workers who succumbed to work-related health issues.
Specific Loss Benefits: Compensation for permanent disfigurement or loss of body parts.
Medical Care: Covers essential medical treatments for work-induced illnesses or injuries.

In instances of partial disability, benefits might be available for up to 500 weeks in certain situations. Total disability cases might see the employer or insurer seeking a medical review to possibly reclassify the injury.