LAS VEGAS WORKERS' COMPENSATION ATTORNEY

Workers’ compensation claims aren’t that different from other insurance claims. If you were injured in a car accident, for example, the first thing you would do after seeking medical attention would be to contact your insurance company to file a claim.

You’d provide the insurance company with your contact information, your insurance policy, and any pertinent details about your accident. Once you started receiving bills for medical services or repair costs, you’d forward that information to the insurance company as evidence for your claim.

A workers’ compensation claim follows roughly the same steps, only with a few added complications. The main complication is that you don’t own the policy that you’re filing your claim under. For this reason, you’ll need to get assistance from the owner of the policy—your employer.

Your employer is responsible for providing you with relevant information about their policy, including the policy number and the contact information for the company that issued it. Since your employer owns the policy, they typically have to file the claim as well. To do that, however, you must provide them with the necessary details of your injury or illness and its cause.

Generally, this means that you’ll need to fill out specific paperwork that your employer will use to communicate with the insurance company. This paperwork will likely need to be approved by a manager or someone in human resources. Only after all of this information is bounced back and forth and approved by all parties is it finally sent to the insurance company that covers the workers’ compensation policy.

If you think that sounds like a lot of red tape, you’re right.

Filing an insurance claim is often a tedious and cumbersome procedure, and workers’ compensation claims can be even more daunting than normal claims. Working with workers’ compensation lawyers in Las Vegas can help you navigate the process quickly and clear up any confusion you may have.

While you might be tempted to hire a workers’ compensation attorney just to minimize the difficulty of the claims process, that isn’t the only reason it’s a good idea to retain a lawyer. Another important reason is that employers and insurance companies have a powerful incentive to prevent you from receiving the compensation you need.

Insurance companies increase their revenue when they pay out as little compensation as possible. Whenever they receive a claim, therefore, they often look for reasons to deny or underpay it.

By the same token, your employer is paying for the insurance policy. If enough claims are made on the policy, its cost will increase. By limiting how much you receive from a workers’ compensation claim, your employer ensures that future costs stay low.

A workers’ compensation attorney from Morgan and Morgan has different incentives.

Your attorney’s highest priority is to protect your interests to the best of their abilities. This means they’ll fight to ensure you get every dollar you deserve when filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Workers’ compensation lawyers in Las Vegas have years of experience dealing with the claims process. This allows them to move through it swiftly, identify when insurance companies aren't being fair, and employ options that aren’t available to you without an attorney.

Once they’ve agreed to take your case, your attorney will:

• Investigate your claim and find evidence that supports it
• Complete all required paperwork quickly and correctly
• Ensure that the insurance company and your employer follow all Nevada regulations
• Negotiate for a fair settlement that covers all of your expenses
• File a lawsuit and represent you at trial if your rights are violated

Too many workers wait until their claim has been denied or they’ve received substandard compensation to consult a lawyer.

Don’t wait until you have a problem. Prevent unforeseen issues by contacting a lawyer the moment you’re injured or become ill. Doing so will protect your rights and may increase the amount of money you stand to receive from a successful claim.

Another important reason to consult with an attorney in your workers’ compensation case is that they can be a valuable source of information.

Workers’ compensation regulations differ by state, and it’s often difficult to get accurate information on local laws, especially when there are federal statutes that apply as well. You could try asking the insurance company or your employer to explain these laws to you, but you might not get all the information you need, and you might not be able to trust the information you get.

Your attorney will be able to answer any and all questions you may have. Workers’ compensation attorneys are familiar with the ins and outs of the applicable laws and understand how they apply to your case.

If your goal is to be as informed as possible before making any important decisions in the course of your workers’ compensation claim, speaking with a workers’ compensation lawyer from Morgan & Morgan is the best way to do it.

If you’re injured outside of work, you aren’t eligible to receive workers’ compensation. This is true even if your injury prevents you from working and earning an income.

However, just because you aren’t eligible for workers’ compensation doesn’t mean you can’t seek remuneration for your medical bills and lost income. Assuming another party was responsible for the injury that prevents you from working, a personal injury attorney can help you recover damages to make up for your losses.

If you’ve been injured outside of work and aren’t sure what your rights are, reach out to a personal injury attorney at Morgan and Morgan attorney for a free evaluation.

Not necessarily. You only need to be performing work-related activities when you’re injured to qualify for workers’ compensation.

Other parties might also bear liability if you’re injured off-site while engaging in work activities, but as long as you’re working at the time, you’re qualified to receive workers’ compensation, potentially in addition to other forms of compensation.

You can hire a lawyer at any point during the claims process.

The best time to consult with a workers’ compensation attorney is before you file your claim. However, you can still benefit from hiring one at a later time.

For example, if your claim was denied, you should consult with an attorney right away. A workers’ compensation lawyer will be able to determine whether the denial was legitimate or made in bad faith. If they think you have a solid case, they’ll inform you of your options and help you take the next step in the process.

A workers’ compensation attorney can also guide you through the appeals process if that’s the path you decide to take.

You have two major options when your claim is denied: you can either appeal your claim or file a lawsuit against the insurance company, your employer, or both.

Neither option invalidates the other, so you also have the option of starting the appeals process and filing a lawsuit concurrently. Often, starting a lawsuit will encourage the insurance company to try to settle out of court, which could help in the appeals process. Similarly, filing an appeal could help you in court if the appeal is also denied.

No. These are two different programs with different goals and procedures.

Workers’ compensation is intended to support you after you’ve been injured or sick on the job. It’s meant to provide temporary relief until you’ve recovered enough to go back to work.

Conversely, Social Security disability insurance offers a permanent source of replacement income for those who have become permanently disabled and are unable to work for the foreseeable future. With Social Security disability, it doesn’t matter where the incident occurred or what happened to cause the disability.

Both programs are meant to provide you with a living income while you’re incapable of working, but the rest of the details are quite different. If you aren’t sure which applies to your situation, get in touch with an attorney at Morgan & Morgan. They’ll determine which program you qualify for and help you apply correctly to receive the compensation you need.

You must lose at least seven days of work to be entitled to workers’ compensation. You’ll begin receiving payment after you’ve missed 14 days, including retroactive payment for the first week.

However, there may be unexpected delays along the way, as the insurance company will investigate the case and must approve it before you can receive payment. Workers’ compensation lawyers in Las Vegas can speed up that investigation by providing evidence to the insurance company and preventing them from attempting to forestall payment of your claim.

If you’ve become injured or ill while working in Las Vegas, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical bills and lost income.

A veteran workers’ compensation attorney at Morgan and Morgan will ensure that your employer or their insurer doesn’t unfairly deny you the money you deserve. Contact us right away to schedule a free case evaluation and learn more about the options you have available.