Even if your worker’s compensation benefits have been paid to date, you may not have received all the benefits you are entitled to under Wisconsin’s worker’s compensation law. You may think that you have received everything you are due, but that is sometimes not true, or there may be more benefits you are unaware of. In particular, if you sustain a permanent wage loss entitling you to retraining (schooling) or loss of earning capacity, those benefits are rarely paid by the insurance company without a fight even if all other benefits have been paid. Your doctor may also assess you with a permanent partial disability (PPD) rating that is not voluntarily paid by the insurance company.
If your claim was approved and you have been receiving worker’s compensation benefits but you see a permanent wage loss coming, or you believe you are not receiving all the benefits you are entitled to, you may be wondering, “Is it too late to hire a lawyer for my worker’s compensation benefits?”
In most cases, the answer is “No.” It is never too late to talk to a worker’s compensation attorney about your claim. For many years and thousands of cases handled, Wisconsin worker’s compensation attorney Luke Kingree has been a tireless and forceful advocate for injured workers. He has an encyclopedic knowledge of Wisconsin’s worker’s compensation system and understands the importance of precedent in helping his clients obtain the maximum benefits they are entitled to receive.
If you have questions about your worker’s compensation claim, even if some of your benefits have already been conceded, contact Kingree Law Firm today to schedule a free and confidential consultation to discuss your situation.
There is no prohibition against representing yourself in a dispute with the worker’s compensation insurance company or self-insured employer. For relatively minor disputes, it often makes sense to represent yourself. But most of the time, where potentially significant benefits are at stake, you will likely need an experienced worker’s compensation attorney. Regardless, any disputes will be resolved by either negotiating with the insurance company or its attorneys, or by a worker’s compensation judge at a hearing. That process is difficult for unrepresented individuals for several reasons. First, the insurance company or its attorneys will likely take advantage of your lack of familiarity with worker’s compensation law. Second, there are numerous evidentiary and procedural rules that are difficult to navigate if you are not an attorney. Third, unrepresented individuals often do not have the ability to build the strongest case possible. All of those dangers are lessened by being represented by an experienced worker’s compensation attorney.
Kingree Law Firm is often called upon to represent injured workers whose initial claims for benefits were approved without assistance from a lawyer. Sometimes, the insurance company is quick to approve initial benefits. But as your medical treatment becomes more extensive they may begin to deny some of your benefits, or you may be entitled to benefits for the permanent effects of the work injury that the insurance company will not voluntarily pay. And even if you think you have been paid everything you are entitled to, it may turn out you have not, which can only be assessed by someone knowledgeable and experienced in Wisconsin worker’s compensation law. In situations like these, it makes sense to talk with a worker’s compensation lawyer even after your worker’s compensation benefits have been conceded.
After a workplace accident or occupational injury, many injured workers initially trust their employer and believe the worker’s compensation insurance company will help them. Remember — in your worker’s compensation claim, the insurance company and workers comp adjuster are not on your side. They work for the insurance company who is paid by your employer. To increase their profits, some workers comp insurance companies search for ways to minimize the benefits they pay to injured workers. If you follow the money, you will quickly see that the worker’s compensation company does not have your best interests at heart.
It is never too late to talk with a worker’s compensation attorney to assist with your claim for benefits, and it is always a good idea.
A worker’s compensation claim has various deadlines you must be aware of. Failure to meet these filing deadlines could jeopardize your claim. Kingree Law Firm can protect your rights and ensure you meet future filing deadlines. We will also gather the evidence necessary to thoroughly and properly document your injury to maximize your worker’s compensation benefits.
Many claims adjusters rely on reports from so-called “independent” medical examiners, or IME doctors. These physicians are paid by the worker’s compensation insurance company and cannot accurately be called independent. Kingree Law Firm can help you obtain reports from your doctors countering the defense doctor reports, and has extensive connections to medical experts around Wisconsin.
In many worker’s compensation cases, additional benefits become available at the end of healing or the end of treatment. For example, retraining benefits and benefits for loss of earning capacity are often available when an injured worker has reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) or End of Healing and still has permanent restrictions or a permanent partial disability (PPD) rating. These benefits are available in addition to your wage loss benefits while in the healing period. But worker’s compensation insurance carriers rarely conceded these additional benefits without a fight.
If your benefits have been denied, if you believe you are entitled to benefits that the insurance company has not paid, or if there is a permanent disability or permanent wage loss, you should contact us today. When you work with Kingree Law Firm, there is no up-front cost to you. We work on a contingency fee, which means our fee is deducted as a portion of your recovery.
Here are some examples of when to hire a worker’s compensation lawyer, even after some worker’s compensation benefits have been conceded:
After a workplace injury, Kingree Law Firm can claim all the benefits you are entitled to. We have decades of combined experience in building the strongest possible case, providing timely and sound advice, handling filings, and litigating your case toward either settlement or a hearing with a judge. We offer a free, no-obligation case evaluation, and we don’t charge a fee unless we win. Contact us today to schedule a consultation to discuss your worker’s compensation case.
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