Lawyer Help

[t.orlando]

Looks like my Doc is gonna say I cannot return to my job due to physical limitations. Gonna need a workers comp lawyer. Anybody here been down this path? Are the TV lawyers that much better than one I can find locally. Any help or input would be appreciated.

[BigFish]

They all suck T! I had a back issue/workers comp. about 19 years ago......got a lawyer....long story short when the first settlement offer came...$44,000.00......I said no to the lawyer....not even 1 years pay for a back that has plagued me since!!! He informed me I should take the offer as he did not think we could get more!!!!! He did not and would not even go to bat for me!!!! I went to hire another lawyer and nobody would take the case over from another lawyer.......they all suck!! He just wanted his friggin quick money and the hell with me!!!

I wish you luck...I really do!

Sidebar.....I had a buddy at the same time broke his arm in a car accident during his work......his lawyer got him......ready for this.....$110,000.00......FOR A BROKEN ARM!!!!!!! I have a back that has been a burden for almost 20 years and is progressively getting worse and all I got was $44,000.00?!?!?!??!?!?!

Hire the "best" lawyer you can find and hold onto your hat!

[mosholu]

T. Orlando it is state specific in a lot of cases. if you say where are you located someone may be able to recommend someone?

[bloocrab]

T -

Be careful....they have peeping Toms that watch those types of cases. I'm not sure fishing is allowed.

Good Luck with whatever you do -

[MakoMike]

They will hire private detectives to follow you and take pictures if they find you doing something that you supposedly can't do. I have two friends that do that kind of P.I. work.

[Raven]

well....its a big friggan game the insurance company plays....

they'll either wait you out .....til your almost broke
then they can pay out a much smaller sum.... in settlement.

you'll also have to see an independant Doctor
to get an independant evaluation
as to your injury limitations... and or disability...
and that is required long before you go to court..

you can also ask about retraining to get
re-educated for a non back straining sedentary job.....see
that's one of your options.

and while your in school ...doing that... you'll continue
to collect your workmans comp.. ( WC) until you've completed
your retraining... and sometimes that is BETTER
than recieving a lump sum and having to manage that amount.
you'll have to do the math on that... and run the numbers

[Raven]

Originally Posted by bloocrab

T -

Be careful....they have peeping Toms that watch those types of cases. I'm not sure fishing is allowed.

Good Luck with whatever you do -

------------------------------------------------------------------------
oh yeah they do....and they are good ...as i never saw them !!

i was wrestling a boulder while on my knees and supposedly was filmed... they said i was building a wall.. pffff yeah right.

[t.orlando]

Thanks guys. Been out of work for 16months so far. Should get the final word from my DR on May 7th. Mosholu- I am in Mass.

[TheSpecialist]

Tony try and get them to pay for new job training or schooling as part of your settlement, aside from any money they are giving you.

[chris L]

Originally Posted by t.orlando

Thanks guys. Been out of work for 16months so far. Should get the final word from my DR on May 7th. Mosholu- I am in Mass.

sorry I thought you were in Florida .

[Mike P]

I don't know how it works for workers' comp, but a lot of the PI guys who advertise on TV refer that stuff out to litigators for a piece of the settlement.

The best way to find a good lawyer is to get a referral from a lawyer you know and trust, but who doesn't handle the type of case you have. Workers' comp is a specialized area.

The worst way is to look in the Yellow Pages or believe one of those TV ads.

Unfortunately, I'm too new to the scene in Mass. to know of any good comp guys.

[Bronko]

Tony,

PM Sent.

[Swimmer]

What the other guys said about the P.I.'s is true. They checked into the local P.D.'s every day with a general area they will be in.

[Swimmer]

Further on the comp thing. I just gave a deposition in a civil suit that is part comp related about a bus crash I had to investigate. When I arrived at the overturned bus the driver was still in her seatbelt suspended and hanging, concious, dead weight towards the bus door. The insurance company wont pay her comp because she had hurt her back once before, very minor, no claim involved but it was on her medical records. Here she was in that position, basically being thrown by the buses weight to the ground and never making the ground because she was seatbelted and they are refusing to pay. She just wants to pay her bills, thats all.

[timf]

The lawyers on TV all refer out your case to other attorneys and take a cut. They never try the case themselves.

If you go to the Mass Bar association they have a referal service. They will refer you and the consultation for the first hour is free. That way you can try a few out. At the very least you should be able to get an idea of the process and anything you need to do so that your claim is fully valid. Make sure the lawyer is a workmans comp one not med-mal or such. Ideally you would want one in the same district that you will file the case in as they will know the judges and have a good idea of what you can expect.

Good luck.

[luds]

Do the same attorney's that do workers comp do personal injury? My father has been in the insurance industry for at least 30 years and much of that working personal injury cases. I can ask him for names of some guys he thinks are good and trustworthy if you want. That is if it would be the same pool of lawyers.