FAQ

There is no charge for our initial consultation. You may sit down and discuss your problems with an attorney and there is no charge or obligation to hire us.

There is no fee for our services unless we get results! Our fee is based upon a percentage of the amount of damages that we recover for you.

An experienced lawyer achieves good results when it comes to reaching a settlement. A skilled lawyer should be able to settle for an amount that more than justifies the fee which has been charged.

An injured worker is entitled to lost time benefits (called temporary total disability) for his time off from work as well as medical treatment which is needed in order to help the employee recover from his injuries. An injured employee is also entitled to compensation for his injuries when he makes less than a full recovery (called permanent partial disability). There may also be a second injury fund claim if the injured employee has any previous injuries or disabilities. An experienced workers' compensation attorney knows the value of these benefits and how to work effectively on your behalf.

We recommend hiring an attorney as soon as possible after you are injured. Early in your case, there are decisions that need to be made that can affect the outcome. Making the right decisions early can affect how smoothly your claim is handled, and the amount of compensation that can be obtained.

You should report an accident to your employer immediately. Employers and insurance companies look suspiciously upon cases when there is a delay in reporting an accident. The law states that an injured employee shall report a claim within 30 days, although there are circumstances in which an experienced attorney may be able to argue for a waiver of this requirement.

There are good doctors and there are bad doctors. Insurance companies often use the same doctors over and over. Some of the doctors that insurance companies choose have good reputations excellent skills. In other cases, biased doctors are chosen because they tend to write opinions that favor the employers' side of the case. An experienced attorney will know the reputation of insurance company's doctors. At The Swaney Law Firm, we know the reputation of the doctors used by insurance companies and how to deal with them effectively.

An experienced workers' compensation attorney will achieve excellent results when it comes to reaching a settlement. Studies have shown that injured employees receive significantly more compensation when they are represented. A skilled lawyer should be able to settle for an amount that more than justifies the fee which has been charged.

You are entitled to any financial or economic damages (often referred to as "out-of-pocket" expenses). These include bills for medical treatment and lost wages. You can also recover for the damage done to your vehicle if you are involved in a car accident and would likewise be entitled to reimbursement for other damaged property such as broken glasses, torn clothes, etc.

Finally, you are entitled to something for your pain and suffering. Sometimes, people recover from an accident quickly and the pain and suffering can be attributed to a specified period of time. In other cases, injuries are more permanent in nature and they affect someone for the rest of their life.

There are numerous factors. An experienced attorney will evaluate your case and try to predict what a jury would be likely to award. Depending on the county where your suit would be filed, different results are likely. The goal of an experienced personal injury attorney is to obtain the best possible settlement or judgment on your behalf. Any offer must be evaluated in light of whether a jury would be likely to award a greater amount of damages.

It is important to contact the police so that statements can be taken from the parties and witnesses as soon as possible. This prevents someone from changing their story, or losing track of witnesses.

Second, it is important to have pictures taken of your car. Sometimes this is helpful when there are two versions of how an accident happened. Depending on where the damages are located, this may tend to confirm your story. In addition, pictures can serve to illustrate the severity of the impact.

Third, it is important to seek medical attention as soon as possible if you have sustained injuries. Failure to seek medical treatment within a short time following an accident can create skepticism as to your injuries. Depending on whether you have x-rays or other tests done, a doctor may be able to establish objective proof that you are injured immediately following an accident.