Contacting workers compensation attorneys Jackson MS, is the most crucial step after an employee has experienced some form injury while on the job. The first meeting with workers compensation attorneys give the injured employee a great insight,see Workers Compensation Attorneys Jackson MS, as to the advantages and disadvantages of their entire compensation claim and the interest and experience of the lawyer that will potentially handle the case.
What to Bring During the First Meeting
In order to give the attorney a good idea as to the strength of you claim, bring as much information as possible relevant to the workplace injury. The exact documents depend on your industry, injury and available documents, but to give you an idea, below are some of the essentials;
• A detailed summary of the workplace accident that features the date of the injury;
• Name, contact information and details of the supervisor that was notified of the workplace injury and the date of when they were notified;
• Employment records that specifically display the date of hiring, job duties and position;
• Copy of the written notice given to the employer;
• Recent bank statements or pay stubs that can give the attorney an idea in regard to the estimate of what you should expect to receive in case the claim has been approved;
• Photographs of the injuries;
• Treatment dates if any;
• Name and contact details of the treating physician;
• Address, name and contact details of the facility where the treatments for the injury were done;
• All the incurred medical bills for the injury treatment;
• A list of names and contact details of eyewitnesses at the time of the incident;
• Medical records relevant to the diagnosis and treatment of the injury;
• Any correspondence between you and the employer regarding injury claims; and
• Copy of the accident report from the employer if any.
Having all these documents readily available can help the attorney in their assessment of the claim, and they get a better idea if there might be issues in the process. The earlier all these documents are collected, the faster the claim can be processed.
Questions to Ask
Apart from letting the lawyer go through all the details of the workplace injury, the workers’ compensation attorney will encourage you to ask any questions. Take the opportunity to also asses the lawyer and ask the following questions;
• Out of all the cases they have handled, what portion of it is made up of workers’ compensation claims?
• How long have they been practicing law?
• Have they handled a similar case beforehand?
• Will the attorney handle your case personally?
• What is their success rate on workers’ compensation cases?
If you’re satisfied with the background, experience and credentials of the attorney, the next thing to discuss are possible strategies. For one thing, you can ask them to briefly explain all the strengths and weaknesses of the case as well as option for mediation or settlement. Don’t forget to request as estimate of your claim’s monetary value. Also, you may want to discuss costs and fees including how much they will charge and if there are other legal fees to be paid when filing claims.
