The Best of 2022

The Best of 2022

Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays Reflects Back on the Best of 2022

In starting a New Year, Mays Law Office reflects on the last twelve months with great excitement and pride.  In 2022, Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays recovered more than One Million Dollars ($1,000.000) in workers compensation benefits for the injured Wisconsin worker.

Mays Law Office prides itself on the diverseness of its clients.  Notable recoveries were achieved for:

Client Z.B. recovered $95,000 when she suffered the amputation of 3 toes on the right foot after stepping on a dirty nail protruding from a board at a campsite that she was instructed to clean up.  Causation leading to amputation would seem easy as infection from a dirty nail seems obvious.  However, Client Z.B. had previously suffered a toe amputation on the same foot prior to the dirty nail event because she is diabetic, a personal condition characteristically known for causing amputation.  Mays Law Office claimed that the damage to the right foot prevented Z.B. from ever being able to work in a competitive environment and making the kind of money she made prior to the injury.  The issue in this claim was, did the dirty nail or personal condition of diabetes cause the additional right toe amputations, and if so, to what extent did it affect her wage-earning ability?  The rub in this claim, apart from the diabetic personal condition of previous amputations on the same foot, was that Client Z.B. was highly skilled with an incredible work history.  Her resume included training horses, acting as a criminal profiler, and author of two novels available on Amazon.  To claim that she was incapable of at least sedentary/sit-down work was a tough sell.  Regardless, Mays Law Office achieved a strong settlement amount despite the pitfalls we would have faced had it been litigated it to a judge.

Client O.Z recovered a six-figure settlement in his workers compensation claim against his employer, a national delivery company when he injured his knee while working on the dock operating a pallet jack that maneuvered awkwardly, causing a twinging or stinger pain to his knee.  Previous pain and medical treatment to the same knee were found in his medical records, and the claim was denied as a pre-existing condition.  Despite these obstacles, Client O.Z. recovered the full value of his claim for disability and lost time because Mays Law Office made an additional claim for potential Retraining due to permanent physical restrictions, which prevented him from returning to his employment or anything comparable in pay.  The rub in this claim was that Client O.Z. had no intentions of pursuing an occupational claim for Retraining.  He was in his mid-sixties and wanted to retire rather than return to the workforce.  By asserting the potential for Retraining, Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays was able to inflate the potential value of the claim so that a settlement could be achieved that would allow a settlement at the value of the claim for disability and lost time.  Client O.Z. avoided a hearing and achieved the same effect as if he went to the hearing and won the full value of his claim.

Client Z.R. sought out Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays after having difficulty finding counsel interested in his claim.   The rub was that the treating surgeon had left the State of Wisconsin and relocated his practice to another state.   It took Attorney Pierobon Mays more than four months to finally track down the doctor in another state, get him to return her phone calls, and ultimately agree to complete paperwork on Z.R.’s behalf.  Doctors are hesitant to stay involved with patients from former employers as liability, licensing, and access to medical records can be tricky.  Moreover, all communication had to be during off-hours and not related to the surgeon’s current medical employer.  Needless to say, charm mixed with assertiveness needed to be used delicately when working with this surgeon in completing paperwork on behalf of Client Z.B.  Ultimately, a very satisfactory settlement of $85,000 was achieved for Client R.Z.  But…the story does not end there.  The workers’ compensation insurance carrier was not timely in paying Z.B. his settlement monies despite numerous written reminders by Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays to their legal counsel.  Ultimately, it was feared by the insurance company that their behavior would be seen as unjustified in their failure to timely pay Client Z.B. his settlement monies and lead to another claim – a Bad Faith Penalty Claim and/or Delay in Payment under the Wisconsin Workers Compensation Statutes, Chapter 102.  Due to this late payment of less than 30 days delay, an additional settlement of $15,000 was achieved for Client Z.B.

Client W.K. hurt his right knee while working at a convenience store.  The claim was denied by the workers’ compensation carrier asserting the knee was arthritic before the minor injury at work and, therefore, personal to him and unrelated to the event at work.  The claim was statutorily valued at only $23,000 for disability, lost time, and medical expense BUT Mays Law Office achieved a settlement of $100,000 for Client W.K.  Using smart advocacy, Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays argued that the knee, while only deemed 10% permanently disabled today, was going to deteriorate in the future requiring a total knee replacement.  This kind of knee replacement procedure could cost the workers’ compensation carrier dearly in the future if Client W.K. won at the hearing.  Fearing such, the insurance carrier offered $100,000 to fully settle the claim.  Client W.Z. was delighted with this settlement because his knee was no longer symptomatic, he had no intentions of undergoing a total knee replacement, and he was employed with full medical benefits if the knee ever caused him any more problems.  Ultimately, he pocketed the value of a big “what-if” feared by the insurance carrier.

These four 2022 successful claims are a sampling of the results that Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays achieves for her clients.  Attorney Pierobon Mays attributes these results to strong advocacy skills.  She communicates often with her clients.  She listens and truly hears what her clients are telling her.  She acts in their best interest.  She handles every single one of her cases individually and never hands them off to an associate attorney or paralegal.  She is not afraid to take on difficult claims, often those that no other attorney wants.  These 2022 results cannot be deniedIf you are an injured Wisconsin worker, call Mays Law Office today at (608)257-0440 for a free consultation with a workers’ comp lawyer.

Do I Need a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in WI?

Do I Need a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in WI?

If you’ve been injured on the job in Wisconsin, filing for workers’ compensation can provide you with much-needed financial stability during the recovery process. But, this is only the case if your workers’ compensation claim is successful. If you aren’t successful in securing benefits, not only could you lose out on money you deserve, but you could also end up with bills you can’t afford to pay.

With this in mind, is it worth trying to handle your workers’ compensation claim on your own? Or, should you hire a lawyer to represent you?

10 Reasons to Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Wisconsin

Simply put, there are lots of reasons to put an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer on your side. If you need to seek workers’ compensation benefits for a job-related injury in Wisconsin, here are 10 of the most-important reasons to hire a lawyer for your claim:

1. You Need to Protect Your Claim for Benefits

If you have a workers’ compensation claim, you need to protect it. If you don’t, you could lose your right to benefits. Among other things, protecting your claim for workers’ compensation benefits means:

  • Reporting your injury on time;
  • Including all necessary information in your report; and,
  • Filing your claim before the deadline expires.

Your lawyer can help you with each of these steps. If you wait too long, or if you don’t include all required information, your claim could be over before it even begins.

2. You Need to Prove Your Eligibility for Benefits

Even if you are clearly eligible for benefits under Wisconsin’s workers’ compensation law, you will still need to prove your eligibility to collect the benefits you deserve. Your lawyer can assist you with gathering all necessary documentation and proving that you qualify based on the facts surrounding your injury and your employment status.

3. You Need to Make Sure You Receive the Full Benefits You Deserve

Unfortunately, you cannot count on your employer’s insurance company to pay the full benefits you deserve. While it should pay full benefits, there is a good chance that it won’t. When you hire a lawyer, your lawyer can accurately calculate your benefits for you—that way, you won’t unknowingly settle for less than you deserve.

4. You Need to Make Sure Your Benefits Don’t End Too Soon

In addition to underpaying your benefits, the insurance company may also try to terminate your benefits prematurely. If this happens, you will need an experienced lawyer in your corner. Your lawyer can prove your continuing eligibility, and your lawyer can take legal action against the insurance company if necessary.

5. You May Be Better Off with a Workers’ Comp Settlement

If your injury prevents you from working, you could be entitled to weeks, months, or years’ worth of disability benefits. In this scenario, it may be in your best interests to negotiate a lump-sum settlement rather than waiting to see if your weekly benefit checks come in the mail. Your lawyer can help you decide whether to seek a settlement; and, if you would be better off with a settlement, your lawyer can negotiate on your behalf.

6. Your Employer (or Its Insurance Company) Might Deny Your Claim

Along with the risk of underpayment and early termination, there is also a risk that your employer (or its insurance company) will deny your claim entirely. If this happens, you will need to figure out why, and you will need to determine your next steps. With an experienced lawyer on your side, there is less chance that you will receive a wrongful denial; and, if you receive a denial, your lawyer can take action to appeal the denial immediately.

7. There Are Many Costly Mistakes You Need to Avoid

When you have a workers’ compensation claim in Wisconsin, there are many costly mistakes you need to avoid. If you make mistakes, this could delay your receipt of benefits—or it could even jeopardize your workers’ compensation claim entirely. When you hire a lawyer, your lawyer will walk you through what not to do while your claim is pending, and your lawyer will handle the most important aspects of your claim for you.

8. You Might Have a Claim Outside of Workers’ Comp

While filing a workers’ compensation claim is one way to recover the costs of a job-related injury in Wisconsin, it may not be the only option you have available. Depending on what happened and who was responsible, you could potentially have a variety of other claims as well. Your lawyer can provide a comprehensive assessment of your legal rights, and your lawyer can pursue all available claims in order to maximize your financial recovery.

9. Hiring a Lawyer Costs Nothing Out-of-Pocket

While many injured workers have concerns about the cost of hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer, the reality is that you can get experienced legal representation at no out-of-pocket cost. This is because workers’ compensation lawyers work on a “contingency fee” basis. When you hire a workers’ compensation lawyer to represent you, you will not pay any legal fees up front—and you will not pay any legal fees at all unless your lawyer helps you secure benefits.  

10. Your Lawyer Can Help Maximize Your Take-Home Compensation

Won’t your lawyer’s contingency fees reduce the amount of your recovery? While the technical answer is “Yes,” the practical answer is “No.” Even though your legal fees will come out of your benefits, a reputable workers’ compensation lawyer will not take your case unless the lawyer believes he or she can help you take home more than you could recover on your own.

Schedule a Free Workers’ Comp Consultation at Mays Law Office in Madison, WI

If you have more questions about hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer in Wisconsin, we encourage you to schedule a free consultation. We will be happy to answer all of your questions and help you make an informed decision about how best to move forward. To schedule an appointment at Mays Law Office in Madison, WI, please call 608-257-0440 or get in touch online today. 

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