While it is always recommended for an injured worker in Massachusetts to at least consult with a lawyer after being hurt on the job, in relatively simple work accident cases, an injured employee may not need an attorney. For example, in a lot of workers’ compensation cases, the insurance company may accept the claim and pay the injured worker the disability benefits he or she deserves as well as cover the cost of medical treatment. The injured worker may then recover from his or her injuries and return to work.
Workers' Compensation Claims Can Become Complex
These “simple” cases, however, sometimes become more complicated. Employers and their workers’ compensation insurers will sometimes minimize the injuries suffered on the job and the benefits being paid. In those situations, the injured worker may not receive the benefits he or she deserves for the injuries suffered at work. Additionally, during the payment without prejudice period, the insurer may reduce the benefits the injured worker is receiving from temporary total disability to partial disability before the injured worker is actually considered partially disabled. In other cases, the employer and insurance company may try to force an injured worker back to work before they are ready to return. When this happens, an injured employee should consider hiring a workers’ compensation attorney. An experienced lawyer will be able to protect an injured worker’s rights and be sure he or she receives the workers' compensation benefits they deserve.
In work accident cases where a claim is denied outright and no benefits are being paid, the injured employee should hire a workers’ compensation attorney. The lawyer will be able to properly evaluate the accident and injuries, explain the workers' compensation process in Massachusetts and file a claim for for the benefits the injured worker deserves.