Representing Yourself Can Harm Your Claim

When you are injured in a workplace accident, you might feel like getting the compensation you need is a fairly straightforward process. After all, you have the documentation from your employer and your doctor to prove that you were hurt while you were at your workplace, performing your job, and that your medical bills and lost wages totaled to the specific amount of money you are seeking.

While this sounds simple in theory, the truth is that workplace injury claims are much more complicated. There are a lot of ways a claim can go wrong, such as mishandled paperwork, an attempt to minimize your needs by the attending physician, and simple low-balling on the part of the insurance carrier. Time is of the essence with any type of insurance claim, so even one minor delay can significantly impact your ability to recover compensation for your losses. You can prevent delays and help your claim result in an appropriate compensation amount by working with an experienced workplace injury attorney to pursue it.

If you are unsure about whether to work with a workplace injury attorney to pursue your claim or to represent your case on your own, keep the following in mind:

• An attorney knows the correct filing and court procedures for a workplace injury claim. He or she will abide by these procedures when handling your claim and make sure everything is filed on time and correctly;
• Your attorney will have experience negotiating with doctors and insurance providers. In many cases, these parties attempt to minimize a victim's suffering in order to give him or her a lower compensation amount than he or she really needs. Your attorney's negotiation skills can combat this type of behavior;
• You might have grounds for multiple claims. Handling one claim on your own is tricky enough, trying to handle more than can be impossible. Let your attorney help you with the stresses that come with handling multiple claims; and
• If your claim is rejected, your attorney will determine the best way to proceed. You might need to simply resubmit the claim with more evidence or the correct information or you might need to appeal the claim. You might even have to file a lawsuit to have your claim reach a resolution.

When you are suffering from a workplace injury and need to cover your expenses, work with an attorney who can handle your case to help you. Contact an experienced San Jose workplace accident attorney to learn more about your options, your rights, and how you can seek monetary compensation for your losses associated with your injury. To get started with our San Jose firm, contact Corsiglia, McMahon, & Allard, L.L.P. today to schedule your free consultation. We proudly serve clients throughout the Bay Area, San Mateo County, Alameda County, San Benito County, Monterey County, and Santa Clara County. Do not wait to begin working on your claim with us.

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