If you’ve experienced an injury at work, you may be feeling stressed, conflicted, and overwhelmed. Hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer can take this burden off your shoulders and help you receive adequate financial compensation to move forward after your workplace injury.
However, if you’ve never worked with an attorney before, you may be unsure how to find the best lawyer for your needs. Read on to learn the seven essential qualities to look for in a workers’ comp attorney.
1. Experience
The best workers’ compensation lawyers have many years of experience. They’ve helped dozens or hundreds of injured workers like you receive adequate compensation from their workplaces. And this experience gives them the confidence to navigate your case effectively, as well.
You can typically learn about an attorney’s experience on their website. However, if this information is not available, you can ask them directly how long they have worked as a workers’ compensation lawyer. If an attorney has only worked in the field for one year or less, you may want to seek a different lawyer.
2. Compassion
Some lawyers have been in the field so long that they have become hardened to their clients’ emotions. However, if you’re considering hiring a workers’ compensation attorney, you’re probably facing one of the most stressful experiences of your life. Your attorney should understand and sympathize with your struggles.
Having compassion can help your attorney handle your case more seriously and care more about its outcomes. If your attorney is genuinely compassionate toward your needs, they may be willing to go above and beyond to help you receive compensation.
3. Communication Skills
Your attorney will need to do a lot of communicating during your case. They’ll need to negotiate with your employer’s insurance company, talk to any witnesses, and update you throughout the process.
As a result, your attorney should have strong communication skills that allow them to speak with each of these parties effectively and convincingly. You can gauge an attorney’s communication skills during your initial consultation.
As you discuss your case with your attorney, pay attention to their communication style. For example, ask yourself questions such as:
- Do they interrupt you?
- Do they ask questions?
- Do they come off as abrasive or aggressive in conversation?
If an attorney’s communication style seems odd, you can always seek a different option instead.
4. Honesty
Trust is an essential factor in any good attorney-client relationship. And one of the vital pillars of trust is honesty.
Your lawyer should be upfront about the amount of compensation you can expect to receive from your case, and whether they have the proper experience to represent you. The best lawyers have no qualms recommending a different attorney who could provide better services for your needs. They aren’t money-motivated; they’re truly honest people.
5. Connections
Experienced workers’ comp attorneys have connections that they can use to support your case. For example, they may know excellent physicians and psychologists that they can contact to determine how much compensation you should receive following your injury. They may also have the right resources to gather compelling evidence to support your case.
You can ask an attorney about their connections during your consultation. If you’d rather not approach the subject directly, you can ask more indirect questions like:
- How do you plan to calculate the compensation amount to seek?
- What processes will you use to gather evidence?
6. Settlement Knowledge
In workers’ comp claims, reaching a settlement is typically a more effective solution than going to trial. As a result, your workers’ comp attorney should know the best ways to structure settlement agreements to maximize your benefits.
Your settlement agreement should include all of the past and future expenses you may face from your injury. It should also work around any governmental benefits you plan to receive.
7. Affordable Pricing
Hiring a high-quality workers’ comp attorney shouldn’t break the bank. You probably have enough expenses on your plate from your medical treatment without adding steep attorney’s fees to the list.
As you search for the right Florida workers’ comp attorney for your needs, be sure to ask each option directly how much you will need to pay for their services. The best attorneys will tell you their fees upfront and charge prices you can afford.
Lyle B. Masnikoff and Associates, P.A. – Your Workers’ Comp Attorneys in Florida
If you’re looking to hire a workers’ comp lawyer who checks all of these boxes, you can trust Lyle B. Masnikoff and Associates, P.A. We have years of experience helping clients like you receive compensation for their workplace injuries, and most importantly, there are no fees unless you win.
Call us today at (866) 519-3831 or fill out our online form to request your free consultation.
Copyright© 2022. Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A. All rights reserved.
The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information in this post should be construed as legal advice from the individual author or the law firm, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting based on any information included in or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.
Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A.
1645 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd #550
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 598-7120
https://workerscompfl.net/
Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A.
7380 Sandlake Road, Suite 500
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 896-0116
https://workerscompfl.net/
Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A.
110 E Broward Blvd #1700
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 581-9115
https://workerscompfl.net/
Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A.
543 NW Lake Whitney Place, Suite 106
Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
(772) 461-9181
https://workerscompfl.net/
