If you suffer a work injury, you have no time to waste, and you may not have the money to spare to pay a work accident attorney. So you need free legal advice, and you need it fast. What are your options?
The good news is that you don't have to pay out of pocket to get help from an experienced attorney. You can get a free claims evaluation through WorkInjurySource.com 24/7 at no cost to you unless your attorney prevails. Here are answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQs) about getting free advice for workers' injuries.
Frequently Asked Questions About Getting Free Legal Advice On Workers' Injury Claims
Q: Is my initial consultation with a work accident attorney really free?
Yes, your initial consultation with a workplace accident attorney is indeed free. Workers' compensation and personal injury attorneys typically don't charge for initial consultations -- for several reasons.
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First, you need to make sure the relationship is the right fit. If you meet with an attorney and you don't think he or she is the best person to represent you, you should have a chance to go elsewhere. You should not feel compelled to work with an attorney just because you have already had a consultation. The initial consultation is also an opportunity for the attorney to learn about your case. If, after learning more about your situation, an attorney decides not to represent you, you should be able to get a second opinion without worrying about the cost of the consultation.
Second, your initial consultation is an opportunity to receive free legal advice. During your free initial consultation, an experienced attorney will usually be able to answer the following questions:
- Do I have a workers compensation claim?
- Do I have a personal injury claim?
- What do I need to do to protect my legal rights?
Q: Are there any limits to the free legal advice a workplace accident lawyer can give?
not quite. However, there are some practical limitations to the free advice a lawyer can initially give you. For example, until your attorney investigates and gathers more information about your case, he or she is unlikely to provide definitive answers to the following questions:
- How much is my workers' compensation claim worth?
- How much is my personal injury claim worth?
- What are my chances of getting benefits or getting fair compensation?
That said, once your attorney understands the details of your case, he or she will be able to provide answers to these types of questions. Also, while your attorney can't guarantee that you will get a settlement without going to trial, once your lawyer has more information, he or she will be able to speculate on the possibility of you receiving benefits or damages without going to trial. Reasonable assessment. go to court.
Q: Can I still get free legal advice after my initial consultation?
yes and no. Workers' compensation and personal injury attorneys handle workplace accident claims on a risk-based fee basis. This means they charge no out-of-pocket legal fees, and you pay nothing as your case progresses. If you receive a settlement or court judgment, your attorney's legal fees will be calculated as a percentage of your award.
So you'll never have to pay for legal advice out of pocket; and, if your workplace accident lawyer ends up being unable to recover, all your legal advice will technically be completely free (although you won't get the results you hoped for ). However, if an experienced attorney agrees to take your case, it usually means that: (i) the attorney believes you have a reasonable chance of success; and (ii) the attorney believes your case is worth pursuing for both you and his or her firm.
Q: How does a contingency fee work in a personal injury case?
Typically, contingency fees in personal injury cases are calculated as a percentage of your award amount. For example, your attorney may be entitled to 33% of the damages if you get a settlement, or 40% of the damages if your case goes to trial. However, different law firms handle contingency fees differently and this is certainly something you will want to discuss during your free initial consultation.
Q: How does a contingency fee work in a workers' compensation case?
Contingency fees work similarly in workers' compensation cases, but attorney fees are legally limited in many states. We cover the different ways states cap legal fees for workers' compensation claims in our FAQ on working with attorneys (see list of free resources below).
Q: Will I have to pay anything in a work-related injury case?
In most cases, no. Your law firm will cover the costs of filing your claim (i.e. filing fees, investigator fees, and printing costs) ses) so that you really don't have to pay anything out of pocket while your claim is pending. If your claim is successful, then, in addition to deducting his or her legal fees, your attorney will deduct an amount equal to the total costs incurred on your behalf.
Q: Are Workers' Accident Lawyers Expected to Provide Free Legal Advice?
Yes. When you contact a lawyer, he or she expects free legal advice. Workplace accident lawyers talk to people like you all the time and they appreciate that you seek help in your time of need. So a lawyer is exactly why you are asking. They know you need help; and, in most cases, they are more than willing to help in any way they can.
Q: Can I also see a doctor for free?
Getting free medical care is not as easy as getting free legal advice. In fact, many (but not all) health care providers will aggressively pursue you if you don't pay your medical bills on time. However, this is also something your attorney can help with. Your attorney may provide a "letter of protection" guaranteeing future payments, or your attorney may help you secure pre-settlement funds (or "litigation loans").
Q: What should I do to prepare for my free initial consultation?
This is an important question because the more prepared you are, the more free legal advice you can get during your initial consultation. If you go to your initial consultation without preparation, you will need to spend more time trying to remember the details of the accident, and your attorney will not be able to thoroughly evaluate your claim.
We've prepared some free resources that you can use to prepare for your initial consultation with a work accident attorney, including:
Checklist - Protecting Your Legal Rights After a Work Injury
- FAQs - Workers' Compensation or Personal Injury?
- FAQs - Working with an Attorney
- Tips for Hiring a Workers Injury Lawyer
- Top 10 Facts for Injured Workers
Q: How do I request a free initial consultation with a local workplace accident attorney?
Requesting a free initial consultation with one of your local workplace accident attorneys is easy through WorkInjurySource.com. We give you two options for finding a lawyer in your town or city:
- Browse our directory (or search for your city) to find a local workers' injury legal team; or,
- Submit your information for a free 24/7 online claims evaluation.
All of the attorneys listed in our directory handle work injury claims, and they all offer free initial consultations to injured workers. Many of them are also available 24/7 to respond to inquiries, and they are all dedicated to helping injured workers obtain fair compensation.
Q: What else do I need to know about getting free legal advice after a workplace accident?
If you need legal advice after being injured on the job, you should contact a local lawyer as soon as possible. While your lawyer will be able to offer some free advice initially, he or she will take time to thoroughly investigate, evaluate and prepare your claim in order to tell you everything you need to know. Personal injury and workers' compensation claims also have strict deadlines.
