We understand that if you are out of work because you were injured in a job-site accident you need to keep a close eye on how you spend your money. You might question spending money on a workers’ compensation lawyer to get benefits that Ohio law says you are entitled to receive. But many valid workers’ compensation claims are challenged by employers.
An experienced workers’ comp attorney at Heller, Maas, Moro & Magill Co., LPA, can help you understand your rights and maximize the benefits available to you after a workplace injury. We have a track record of getting results for injured workers and disabled individuals in northeastern Ohio.
We have a promise: No win, no fee. Guaranteed.
If we do obtain workers’ compensation benefits for you, we will deduct our fee and an amount to cover certain case expenses from the settlement. The amount we retain as our fee will be an agreed-upon percentage of the benefit we recover.
The legal fee – typically an amount equal to one-third (33 1/3%) of the settlement—must be approved by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). Before we start work on your case, we will discuss the fee with you and present a written agreement outlining what fee we will charge and what expenses will be recovered.
The contingency fee arrangement incentivizes us to obtain as much compensation as possible for you. It protects you in two ways. First, it means you pay no fee if our efforts on your behalf are unsuccessful. Second, it ensures that we will only pursue a claim if we are confident that we can help you. Our goal is to help you obtain Ohio workers’ compensation claim benefits enabling you to be as financially stable as possible after a serious workplace injury or occupational illness.
Do You Need A Workers’ Comp Lawyer?
If you have been injured on the job in Ohio or have been diagnosed with a debilitating illness because of your workplace environment or exposure, you may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation benefits include:
- Payment of all related medical bills
- Payment of about two-thirds of lost wages due to disability caused by your injury or illness
- Specific scheduled payments for the loss of a limb and loss of use, including vision and hearing loss
- A one-time stipend of up to $10,000 for a disfiguring injury to the face or head
- Change of occupation compensation for some injured workers (such as coal miners, firefighters, and police officers) who have been medically advised to change their job due to certain types of occupational diseases.
- Survivor benefits paid to the spouse or dependents of a worker who died because of a job-related injury or occupational disease.
There are additional benefits within the Ohio workers’ compensation system that may be paid when an employer’s violation of certain safety rules contributed to the worker’s injury or illness.
If you think you qualify for workers’ compensation or have questions about whether you are entitled to claim workers’ comp benefits, you should speak to a workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible. An initial consultation with a workers’ comp attorney from Heller, Maas, Moro & Magill Co. is free and will help inform you about your rights.
You should speak to a workers’ compensation lawyer if:
- Your employer denies or downplays the extent of your injury. This is an employer who does not want you to receive the full benefits you deserve. Workers’ compensation is insurance paid for by employers. Some employers try to challenge claims because of concerns that paying benefits will lead to higher workers’ compensation premiums.
- You receive any pushback or retaliation for filing a claim. Reducing your hours, demoting you, or harassing you for seeking workers’ compensation is illegal.
- You have a pre-existing medical condition. Some employers and/or insurers will attempt to blame symptoms from your current injury or illness on a pre-existing condition and claim you do not qualify for workers’ comp.
- Your medical bills are not covered. Workers’ comp pays for most bills medically related to the recognized conditions of a workplace injury.
- You disagree with your assigned doctor. You can get a second opinion. When opinion differ, such as about our readiness to return to work, an attorney can get the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) to listen to a doctor working independently of your employer.
- You have suffered permanent or life-altering injuries. If your claim is perceived as a potentially expensive one, your employer or the insurance provider may have an incentive to dispute or terminate benefit payments wherever possible.
Many workers’ comp claims are handled as they should be. But if you go it alone, you may be denied workers’ compensation altogether or you might leave money you deserve unclaimed simply because you do not know the system and what you should receive. At any point, your employer or the BWC may challenge your claim, and it will be up to you to persuade the Hearing Officer that you deserve workers’ comp benefits.
Contact Our Ohio Workers’ Comp Attorneys
We trust that we have demonstrated the value of working with an experienced attorney to pursue your workers’ comp claim after suffering a workplace injury or illness. The Ohio workers’ compensation system is complicated to navigate. In almost all cases, an injured worker in Ohio obtains a better benefit with a lawyer’s help.
The lawyers of Heller, Maas, Moro & Magill Co., LPA are from northeastern Ohio. We grew up here in the Mahoning Valley, were educated in local schools, and worked for companies and in plants here before joining our firm. When we take a workers’ compensation case, we do so with the intent to help make our clients and their families financially stable. By seeing that our clients are properly cared for, we ensure that they continue to be contributing members of our community.
We know the Ohio workers’ compensation system, and we will fight for you. If you have been injured or become ill at work, contact us today online or at 330-974-1231.