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By Chloe Murray | January 24, 2024
Workers’ compensation is a high-volume practice, meaning that, sometimes attorneys will treat your case as just another number, or won’t know the facts of your case, or just simply don’t have the time to give your case the attention you need or deserve. This is not the type of lawyer you want to represent you.
Finding a Lawyer That Has Your Best Interest
It is important to find a workers’ compensation attorney that has your best interest in mind. This means a few things:
- 1. First, you need to find an attorney who is willing to tell you the truth. If your case is worth $5,000.00 or $5,000,000.00, you need to ensure that the attorney you choose will always be forthcoming about the value of your case. Your lawyer should always tell you the pros and cons of your case, and why they believe you may or may not win your case. Many lawyers will tell you what you want to hear to get you to take a settlement so that your lawyer gets money in his or her pocket or can move on to the next case. You must ensure you have a lawyer that is doing what is in YOUR best interest, not his or hers.
- 2. Furthermore, you need an attorney who is willing to take the time and treat your case with the upmost importance. As stated above, workers’ compensation lawyers typically have a higher case load than attorneys who practice in other areas. This is because the workers’ compensation system moves very fast compared to other areas. This does not mean that your case is not important, and you should never hire an attorney that will not pay close attention to your case. A good and competent attorney will give you and your case the time of day. A good and competent attorney will advocate to the Judge on your behalf even if your case is not perfect. A good and competent attorney will address all questions or concerns you have, no matter how big or small. A good and competent attorney will know what is going on with your case throughout the entirety of the litigation.
- 3. Finally, you need an attorney you can trust. Of course, trust means you can tell all your legal issues to your lawyer—whether helpful or harmful to your case—with no fear that attorney-client privilege will be broken. However, having a lawyer you can trust also means that you are confident they will handle your case properly and zealously advocate for you. This may mean deposing a competent medical expert on your behalf, ensuring that deadlines will always be met without you needing to check in, and using his or her expertise to best represent you. Too often, injured workers call their lawyers asking when their next hearing or deposition is, only to learn that the attorney completely forgot to schedule it!
Your Case Matters
Due to the high volume that this practice tends to produce, some lawyers forget that these cases involve real people—real people whose lives have been upended due to a work injury. You need a lawyer who will always be in your corner, fighting for the rights that you deserve but one who will always be honest about your claim.
Hiring a lawyer who you can be confident in usually requires hiring a lawyer with experience and expertise. A good lawyer usually comes with high regards from prior clients—ask around, do a Google research, browse firm websites. You can usually learn a lot about your potential lawyer’s credibility.
When you hire Stern & Cohen, you will quickly see that the lawyers here are those you can trust, will advocate on your behalf, and will be available for all your workers’ compensation needs.