Workers' Compensation Claims
Workers’ Compensation insurance adjusters can and will take advantage of what you don’t know. Workers' Compensation adjusters are notorious for denying claims for needed treatment, or deeming legitimate costs as “unnecessary” or “not their responsibility.”
Most Workers' Compensation policies require that the injured party undergo a consultation from a doctor, which would seem reasonable, but more often than not these doctors are paid by the insurance companies themselves. They usually recommend what is called palliative treatment. This is basically the least expensive and least effective treatment that they can get away with. The purpose of this is to treat the symptoms as opposed to the actual injury, which does two things for the insurance company: First, it covers their legal obligation to “do something” without resorting to more effective and more costly treatments. And second, it gives them time, which is the most important tool that the insurance companies have.
An insurance company has the luxury of waiting. An injured worker does not. Medical bills, paying the mortgage and feeding a family are real costs that can very quickly place a worker in serious financial jeopardy, particularly if the injury is the sort that prevents him or her from obtaining other employment. Time is not something the average workers' compensation recipient has.
Delaying and arguing over every claim also gives the insurance companies plenty of time to hire private investigators. While that might sound far-fetched and even paranoid, we’ve had plenty of experience in dealing with them. It is their job to keep an eye on you and catch you doing something that would give the insurance company yet another reason to cancel your benefits. Something as seemingly non-important as not limping severely enough could be used against you. Catching people in situations that benefit insurance companies is big business for private investigators.
Not only do investigators do surveillance of injured workers, but they also dig into their backgrounds, looking for anything that could keep them from issuing benefits. If you lifted weights regularly or played football on weekends with your friends, then maybe, according to the insurance company that was the reason you threw your back out instead of the injury that you suffered at work. Insurers take their profits very seriously, and they are always looking for any way to minimize their liability.
Another insurance company tactic is to offer an inadequate lump settlement payment to workers' compensation recipients. To many injured workers that are tired of the constant paperwork and accusations, this would seem like a blessing. But the initial offer for a lump sum payment is usually far less than what an injured worker needs, and accepting a settlement offer without an attorney to fight for your rights could be disastrous.
Workers' Compensation Insurance adjusters may take advantage of what you don’t know. It is for that reason that victims of work-related injuries should always check with an experienced attorney to make sure that they are being treated fairly. If you have been injured in a work-related accident, your intention is probably to recover as quickly and as permanently as possible so you can get back to work. That’s what workers' compensation is supposed to be for. Unfortunately, these days it takes first rate legal acumen to get the insurers to live up to their end of the contract. Martin Linscott knows the insurance company tactics, he knows the doctors, he knows how the investigators work, and he knows what it takes to get you the treatment and compensation that you deserve. And fortunately for his clients, the insurers know him. Over a decade of workers’ compensation experience has made Martin Linscott a known and respected advocate for the injured among insurers, and they take the needs of his clients very seriously.
If you have been injured in a work related accident, or are suffering from an illness brought on by your working conditions, Linscott Law Office can help. If it turns out that you are being treated fairly by your insurer, we will tell you. If you aren’t being treated fairly, we will do everything we can to see that your situation is corrected. Contact our office for a free legal consultation today.
