How to find the right attorney for your workers’ compensation claim

What it takes to get the right lawyer for a workers’ compensation case.

Sometimes the road to getting workers’ compensation in Minnesota can be tricky. The reason why is that all the statutes and regulations can be confusing to someone who is not familiar with how they work. There is a specific process that involves many steps, from reporting the injury or disability sustained on the job in a timely manner, to actually making the right moves in the courtroom. The advice and knowledge of an experienced attorney can go a long way in getting people the compensation they are entitled to, but how can anyone be sure they have found the right counsel?

Be selective

According to Forbes, it is important for people to narrow down the different lawyers in their area to find one who frequently practices the kind of case they need help with. Upon making a list of potential candidates, it is important to find out more about all of them, and not to just go with the first one who seems able to help. Sometimes the best people to ask are lawyers, even if they do not practice in the same area. The reasoning there is that they typically know others who practice the same profession, and they have a good idea of which attorneys have reputations that match their advertising.

Searching tricks

Just doing a Google search for the words “workers’ compensation” in some combinations with “lawyer” or “attorney” will of course yield some results, but there are other ways for people to get a sense of who practices in their geographical area. The following list of tips by the American Bar Association is meant to help people search for legal representation:

• Local bar associations tend to have their own services to help refer people to lawyers based on their specific needs.
• While an ad can give a sense of what a lawyer practices and his or her price range, a client should make sure to find out what the particular price would be for his or her individual case, from the initial filing of the claim to potentially reaping benefits.
• Sometimes a legal assistance program can provide a person with the advice he or she is seeking, though these programs are only available to those who are financially eligible.
• While each case is unique, friends, business partners, and relatives may have input on possible attorneys.

A person should make sure to be fully comfortable with his or her lawyer of choice. No matter what another person says, it is up to the client’s judgment to decide on representation.

If a person is seeking legal representation for a workers’ compensation claim in St. Paul, they may benefit from consulting an attorney who is really experienced in those kinds of cases. Contact the Atkinson Gerber Law Office for a consultation on your specific cases.