10 Questions to Ask an Ohio Workers’ Comp Lawyer During Your Free Consultation
When you need to file a workers’ compensation claim in Ohio, you need an experienced lawyer on your side. Hiring an experienced Columbus workers’ compensation lawyer is critical for ensuring that you are seeking the full compensation you deserve.
But, beyond calculating the benefits you are entitled to recover, there are many other ways an experienced lawyer will be able to help with your claim as well. From dealing with your employer or the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) to determining if you have an additional claim outside of workers’ comp, an experienced lawyer will be able to take all of the steps necessary to help you recover the costs of your on-the-job injury as quickly as possible.
What to Ask a Columbus Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
With all of this in mind, your choice of legal representation matters. When you schedule a free consultation, this is your opportunity to decide if the Columbus workers’ compensation lawyer you’ve chosen is the right lawyer for you. Here are 10 questions you can ask to help yourself make an informed decision:
1. How Much Experience Do You Have Handling Workers’ Compensation Claims in Ohio?
You will want to choose a lawyer who has extensive experience handling workers’ compensation claims in Ohio. While the workers’ compensation system was originally set up to help workers collect the benefits they need when they get injured on the job, filing a successful claim is often far more difficult than it should be.
As a result, experience matters. You should feel free to ask about the lawyer’s experience during your free consultation—including asking about their results in cases similar to yours.
2. Do You Focus Your Practice on Representing Accident Victims and Their Families?
Some lawyers handle workers’ compensation claims in addition to handling family law matters, estate planning, and a wide variety of other legal issues. Other lawyers focus specifically on representing victims and their families. While both types of practices have positive attributes, you should think about whether you want to hire a lawyer who handles a wide variety of legal issues on a day-to-day basis or a lawyer who focuses specifically on representing people in your situation.
3. Are You Available to Handle My Case?
When you have a workers’ compensation claim, you need a lawyer who can get to work on your case promptly. You cannot afford to wait weeks to get the advice and representation you need. With this in mind, during your free initial consultation, you should also feel free to ask whether the lawyer is available to handle your case. If the lawyer doesn’t have the time needed to give your case the attention it deserves, you may be better off choosing someone else to represent you.
4. Will I Work With You Directly During My Case?
Some lawyers work directly with their clients, while others have their staff handle the majority of the workload on their clients’ workers’ compensation claims. At Malek & Malek Law Firm, we have a support staff that assists our workers’ compensation lawyers with specific aspects of our clients’ claims. But our lawyers work with our clients directly, and you can expect to be able to speak with your lawyer when you have questions or concerns about your legal rights.
5. Do I Have a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Determining whether you have a workers’ compensation claim will require a thorough investigation of your on-the-job accident. However, an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer should be able to provide a preliminary assessment of your legal rights based on the information you provide during your free consultation.
6. Do I Have a Claim Outside of Workers’ Compensation?
In addition to having workers’ compensation claims, injured workers will have personal injury claims in some cases as well. If you have a personal injury claim for your on-the-job accident, you may be entitled to far more than the benefits that are available under Ohio’s workers’ compensation system. As a result, you will want to ask about whether you have a claim outside of workers’ compensation during your free consultation as well.
7. Do You Have Client Testimonials that I Can Read?
Reading client testimonials can help give you an idea of what you can expect if you hire a lawyer to represent you. If past clients have had positive experiences, this is generally a sign that you can expect to have a positive experience as well. With that said, it is important to keep in mind that there are no guarantees when it comes to results. Every case is unique, and the outcome that a Columbus workers’ compensation lawyer will be able to achieve in your case depends on the specific facts involved.
8. How Much Do You Charge?
During your free consultation, you should be able to get a clear and straightforward answer about the legal fees you will have to pay if you hire the lawyer to represent you. Most law firms (including ours) handle workers’ compensation and personal injury claims on a contingency-fee basis, which means that you only pay legal fees if you receive financial compensation for your on-the-job injury.
9. What Are My Next Steps?
Before your free consultation ends, you should be able to gain a clear understanding of your next steps should you decide to move forward with filing a claim. This includes (but is not limited to) the steps involved in formally hiring the lawyer to represent you.
10. What Else Do I Need to Know?
You should also feel free to ask broadly about what else you need to know in order to protect your legal rights. An experienced Columbus workers’ compensation lawyer may explain this without you asking, but you should not hesitate to ask any questions during your free consultation at any time. You need to feel confident that you are making informed decisions, and it is your lawyer’s job to help ensure that you do not unknowingly jeopardize your legal rights.
Schedule a Free Consultation with a Columbus Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Were you injured on the job in Ohio? If so, we encourage you to contact us for more information. To schedule a free consultation with a Columbus workers’ compensation lawyer at Malek & Malek Law Firm, please call 888-444-7440 or inquire online today.