What You Should Know Prior To Your Initial Consultation With An Attorney

Here are some things you need to know and keep in mind prior to your initial consultation with a Workers' Compensation Attorney:

1) Workers' Compensation Attorneys are paid on a contingency fee.  That means that you do not pay any money up front and there are no consultation fees.  However, if you are awarded money for your case, your attorney will receive a portion of that money.  The Attorney's fee is deducted from the amount you are awarded.  Typically, the fee is 15%.  The Law Judge will determine whether the fee is reasonable and may cut an unreasonable fee down to a reasonable amount.  The Workers' Compensation Attorney is not appointed by the state and does not work for free. 

2) At the initial consultation your attorney will ask you details about your accident, such as how, when, and where the accident happened, the extent of your medical treatment, what you have been diagnosed with, whether you are out of work, how much you were making per week (before taxes) the year leading up to the date of the accident, whether you had any prior accidents or injured those same body parts before, etc.  You should expect to fill out forms and medical releases (HIPAA).  You should also be expected to disclose your Social Security Number. 

3) Either at the initial consultation or soon after you retain the help of your attorney, you will need to send your attorney evidence of your income, name and address of your employer, name and address of your doctor, emergency room records, names and contact information of witnesses to your accident, a detailed account of how you were injured and where you were injured, and any other important information related to your claim.