All employers in Virginia (with three or more employees) are required to have workers’ compensation insurance. The benefits of workers’ compensation coverage also extend to part-time employees. As someone who was injured in an accident at work, you have your rights. While you cannot sue your employer directly, you can seek compensation for your damages and medical bills by filing a workers’ compensation claim. For that, hiring a reliable and known Virginia work injury lawyer is important. A good lawyer is your biggest asset for getting a fair settlement.
Ask around
Talk to your fellow workers and employees to know about work injury lawyers they have worked with. References are always handy for finding attorneys in your area. Websites like Avvo can help in sorting law firms and local attorneys. You can choose an attorney based on their ratings. In fact, independent reviews posted on Google are really handy for comparing the options.
Meeting an attorney
The first meeting with a work injury lawyer is the most important one. This is your window for knowing your attorney better, and you should consider asking questions like –
- How frequently do your work on workers’ compensation claims?
- Have you worked on cases and claims similar to this? What is your success rate?
- Do you have a conflict of interest?
- Do I need to pay you upfront?
- What benefits can I claim? What is my case worth?
Discuss the costs
Following a workplace injury, you are already dealing with consequences and financial bills you didn’t expect. You don’t want to hire an attorney, who would charge a fee right away. In fact, most law firms offer free case evaluation. However, there could be other costs related to your claim, so you need to ask in advance. Some work injury lawyers in Virginia take up cases on a contingency basis, where they only get paid, if and when they win. The contingency fee is anywhere from 25% to 40% of the final settlement you get. This, however, varies on the circumstances and worth of your claim.
When to contact a work injury lawyer?
Ideally, contact a work injury lawyer soon after your accident, before you start initiating and working on the claim. Your lawyer can advise further on what you can expect in settlement, and your rights in specific circumstances.
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