We understand that many workers view their work injury as a hassle and that they’d just prefer to get back to work as soon as possible. However, you are entitled to benefits for your work injury, and filing for compensation is probably a lot less of a hassle than you think, especially if you have a lawyer. So while a lawyer can help simplify a seemingly complicated process, is it really worth it to hire a company like Hey Workers after a work injury?
Yes, and here’s why.
The Value Of A Minnesota Workers’ Compensation Injury Firm
Before we dive into why it’s worth it to hire an injury firm after a work injury, we want to be open about where we’re getting the statistics we’re about to share. These findings come from the Martindale-Nolo Research’s 2015 workers’ compensation study, which analyzed survey responses from workers who had recently suffered a work-related injury.
For starters, let’s look at the average compensation award each group receives. According to the data, injured workers who hire an attorney to fight their injury claim earn an average compensation package of $23,500. Individuals who earned a claim but did not hire an attorney to assist averaged a settlement of $18,000.
That’s a pretty big difference, but to be fair, we need to consider attorney fees. The average attorney fee was 15 percent of the settlement amount. If we take 15 percent out of the average settlement of $23,500, we’re left with $20,000. That’s still $2,000 more, or about 12 percent more take home money by hiring an attorney. And that doesn’t even factor in the larger claim potential a person could pursue for a more serious work injury, or the fact that a lawyer provides you with peace of mind. Anyone who has been through an injury claim can attest to the value of de-stressing the process.
Hiring a Lawyer Vs. Going Solo
As we mentioned at the outset, many people just want to get back to work as quickly as possible after a work injury. While your return to work date will depend on your recovery, data from the survey suggests that your case may take longer to resolve if you hire an attorney. That may sound like a pain, but it’s actually a good thing. An injury firm has more knowledge about the system, more tools at their disposal and more options to pursue to maximize your claim, so it makes sense that it will take longer to finalize the case. Again, since work injury firms get a percentage of your compensation and aren’t paid hourly, you’re not losing any more money because the case takes a little longer to resolve. Data shows that individuals without an attorney resolve their case in an average of 12.2 months, but for individuals with lawyers, it takes 17.9 months on average.
Another key point on the importance of hiring an injury expert is because they can help you if your claim is denied. Of all the individuals who filed a claim, 47 percent received an initial denial. A number of workers were still able to earn compensation after the initial denial, but the difference between the two groups was stark. Of those who earned compensation after an initial denial but did so without an attorney, the average claim was $12,400. For the other group who hired a lawyer after an initial denial, their average compensation package was for $18,200. That’s a 47 percent difference.
Finally, hiring a lawyer is a necessity if you’ve earned a permanent disability rating after a work injury. People who suffered a permanent injury earned an average settlement award of $2,600 without the assistance of an attorney. That’s far less than the average award for the same group that hired an attorney. Those workers earned an average of $18,100.
Even if you ignore the peace of mind and support offered by a work injury firm, the numbers speak for themselves. A work injury attorney is a wise investment. If you want to learn how Hey Workers can help you after a work injury, contact us today.
