After you’ve signed the necessary legal documents to retain a lawyer or law firm to handle your workers’ compensation case, the #1 mission of the firm should be to secure the most workers’ compensation benefits possible. These benefits include money and medical treatment.
Workers’ compensation benefits can also consist of indemnity (wage loss) benefits, meaning monetary compensation for missed time at work based on the evidence that will come out in the case and presumably, during your hearing.
The lawyer should exercise their full efforts to secure the most benefits on your behalf, within the bounds of ethical and professional responsibility. In an ideal case, both the lawyer and the client are respectful of each other.
Your attorney should listen carefully and hear all your concerns. They should treat you with dignity, genuine respect, loyalty, and understanding.
The lawyer should also give you full disclosure of all information about your case, along with a full evaluation of the pluses and minuses — without any sugar coating.
Clients should also receive timely responses from their attorney (not daily phone calls), if there are questions as the case develops.
Your workers’ compensation attorney should give a candid evaluation of the case for settlement or trial. They should fully prepare you for your deposition and the hearing.
Lastly, your lawyer should channel and evaluate any of your expectations. They may even have to tell you that your expectations are beyond what the system will give you. It’s their responsibility to provide the leadership needed to secure the maximum benefits owed to you.
Of course, as the client, you have some responsibilities, too.
For starters, you must be on time for all appointments and do what the lawyer asks you to do.
You must also be available to communicate with your attorney as there are bound to be conferences regarding important issues. Most lawyers will not hold their clients hand, but they will expect calls to be returned in a timely manner.
These are the things you can expect when hiring an experienced, honest workers’ compensation lawyer in Arizona.