I’ve Suffered a Work Injury, Should I Call an Attorney?
At Mays Law Office, Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays is always happy to talk to injured workers at any point in the workers compensation process. However, there are crucial moments when an injured worker should absolutely call an attorney about their injury. These moments include:
Call Attorney Pierobon Mays if your employer does not believe that you were hurt on the job or refuses to file the accident claim with their workers compensation carrier. In those situations, Attorney Pierobon Mays will guide you on how you can file the work injury claim on your own with your employer’s workers compensation insurance carrier. In Wisconsin, employers are required by law to inform their insurance carriers of injuries that occur on the job or because of the job.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if your employer or the workers compensation insurance adjuster is dictating who and where you go for medical treatment after a work injury occurs. In Wisconsin, injured workers are allowed to choose their own medical practitioner. Employers and the insurance carrier like to suggest where to go for treatment, but you cannot be forced to accept their recommendations. Regardless of where you go for medical treatment, the workers compensation insurance carrier is required to pay for your medical treatment.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if your employer fires you for reporting a work injury. In Wisconsin, employers are not allowed to penalize you for claiming an injury or filing a work injury. Being terminated will not prevent the injured worker from receiving their workers compensation benefits. The employer’s carrier will still be responsible for covering lost time benefits and medical bills. In those situations, Attorney Pierobon Mays will advise you how to discuss the employer’s behavior with the insurance adjuster because employers who behave this badly are likely not being honest with their insurance companies about you and your work injury.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if two weeks have passed since your work injury was reported and you have not received lost time benefits or your medical bills are not being paid. In Wisconsin, the workers’ compensation carrier must be diligent in investigating your claim of injury. If more than two weeks pass without word from the carrier, then call Attorney Pierobon Mays for assistance as your claim is likely being denied.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if you medically cannot work and now the workers compensation carrier is not paying you a lost time benefit. Insurance adjusters cannot deny lost time benefits without a factual or medical basis. They must have factual or medical support from a medical doctor to not pay you your lost time benefit. In fact, not paying you without a factual or medical basis can give rise to a penalty claim.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays before going to any doctor appointment organized by the workers compensation carrier, often termed an “Independent Medical Examination.” These appointments are not independent but rather adverse to you and paid for by the insurance company, hoping to get the doctor to deny your claim and deem it not work-related. Attorney Pierobon Mays will guide you on how to behave, suggest that you take a witness, what to document, and what to say and not say at this appointment. Also, the carrier is required to pre-pay your roundtrip mileage before, not after, the appointment. If not, there are consequences for the insurance carrier.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if the workers compensation doctor disagrees with your doctor and the insurance company stops paying for your medical treatment. When this happens, a dispute has arisen, and you need to hire a workers compensation attorney to help fight for the recovery of benefits.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if the workers’ compensation carrier, or their attorney, wants you to sign a document for the release of your medical information. In Wisconsin, the Department of Workforce Development has very specific approved forms for the injured worker to sign that allows the insurance carrier to access your relevant medical information. It is ridiculous when insurance companies want access to your dental or mental health records for a shoulder or knee injury. Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays will be happy to provide a copy of the appropriate release you need to sign for releasing your medical records to the workers compensation insurance.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if the workers compensation carrier wants you to sign a document in exchange for a money settlement. NEVER, NEVER sign anything before talking over the specific details of your workers’ compensation claim with Mays Law Office. Doing so, you might be waiving future workers compensation benefits. Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays will review the value of your claim and indicate when/if you should settle your work injury claim.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if you have physical restrictions from your doctor that allows you to do some level of work but the employer refuses to offer accommodating work and now the workers compensation insurance is not paying you a lost time benefit. When this occurs, there’s some level of miscommunication between the employer and the insurance carrier, or perhaps your claim has been denied for workers compensation benefits. Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays will guide you on how to communicate with the carrier and get some clarity on their position. If a denial, then it is time to hire an attorney. Mays Law Office specializes in advocating for injured workers.
Call Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays if your injury is so severe and you have concerns that you will never be well enough to return to the same type of employment. Wisconsin law includes benefits that consider scenarios like this called vocational claims. If your injury causes permanent physical restrictions that prevent you from returning to work and making the same rate of pay, then a claim for retraining or in some situations, loss of earning capacity may apply. These are valuable but complex claims that require an attorney’s assistance. Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays represents only Wisconsin injured workers.
Always feel welcome to call Mays Law Office if you have questions. Attorney Lisa Pierobon Mays is a Wisconsin attorney that concentrates her law practice on representing only injured workers. You will work with an attorney at Mays Law Office, not a paralegal or legal assistant. Mays Law Office has a 5.0 Star Rating from Google based on client reviews. This is not an easy rating that Google gives out and one that we are extremely proud of because it exemplifies the lengths we go to achieve good results for our clients.
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