Workers’ Compensation

Getting Approved for Workers’ Compensation Benefits Can Be Difficult

by admin@gotechark.com | November 19th, 2018

The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission is the state regulatory body in charge of approving and administering benefits to people who get hurt or sick on the job and can’t go back to work. Employees whose health prevents them from working often need these benefits to pay for their living expenses, yet the approval process can be difficult.

In addition to the commission’s strict standards for approving claims, many workers dealing with injuries or illnesses also find that their employers are either unhelpful or even actively working against them in their pursuit of benefits. That’s because almost all employers in Virginia are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, and every claim they receive can cause their fees to increase.

An experienced Virginia workers’ compensation lawyer on your side can make the workers’ compensation claims process easier for you. With the attorneys at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers working on your behalf, you won’t have to worry about paperwork errors or oversights jeopardizing your approval. Instead, you’ll be able to focus on your recovery while we take care of the claim. In addition, we also know the criteria the commission uses to approve or reject claims, and that means you’ll stay one step ahead.

Don’t leave the benefits you deserve unclaimed, and don’t accept a low chance of approval after you were injured or developed an illness on the job. Call us today for a free consultation.

You Deserve Compensation If You Were Hurt at Work

by admin@gotechark.com | September 4th, 2018

Your paycheck is your livelihood, and there’s nothing more frustrating than having it taken away from you because of an injury you suffered at work.

Most employers in Virginia are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance to help their employees if they become injured or develop illnesses while they’re on the job. But some employers are reluctant to approve workers’ compensation claims, and it can be difficult to get approval from the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission when you apply for benefits on your own.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Norfolk workers’ compensation lawyers are dedicated to fighting for the rights of people like you who can’t work for the foreseeable future because of on-the-job incidents. Your employer was supposed to provide adequate protection and safety measures for you, and their workers’ compensation coverage is supposed to give you the money you need to pay for your living expenses.

Don’t take no for an answer from either your employer or the workers’ compensation commission. You have rights, and we can uphold them for you. The longer you wait to get legal representation, the more difficult it may be for your claim to be approved. That’s because evidence can disappear and your claim may be viewed with more suspicion.

Get a lawyer today and get started on the path to the benefits you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation.

Don’t Delay If You Were Injured at Work

by admin@gotechark.com | June 11th, 2018

Workplace injuries can be painful, debilitating, and disabling. And without taking the right steps after suffering one, you may be left unable to return to your job for the foreseeable future, putting your income and even your career at risk.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, our Norfolk workers’ compensation attorneys have helped many people just like you who were hurt at work, and we know how important it is for victims to take the proper steps to help protect themselves and their families.

One of the biggest concerns that workplace injury victims should have is the passage of time. It’s crucial to seek help right away for the following reasons:

  • Waiting too long to report your injury can make your employer suspicious—The more time that passes between your injury occurring and the injury being reported, the more likely it is that your employer and its insurance company may be suspicious of your claim. Report any workplace injuries immediately to begin the workers’ compensation process as soon as possible.
  • Evidence is harder to come by if you wait too long after an accident—Getting approved for workers’ compensation benefits often requires evidence that injuries happened on the job. But if you wait too long, evidence may disappear, and your own recollections of what happened may become muddled or inconsistent.

We’re ready to begin building your claim today. Call now for a free consultation to see how we may be able to help with your workers’ compensation case.

How Much Money Can You Get from Workers’ Compensation?

by admin@gotechark.com | March 26th, 2018

For many injured workers, it’s not enough to know that they might be eligible to receive a percentage of their income via Virginia’s workers’ compensation system. They need to know how much they’ll get with every check.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we know that most families are on tight budgets, and while getting some income is better than none, taking even a small pay cut can have serious consequences for their households.

There are three major types of benefits, and each pays out different amounts for different amounts of time to recipients:

  • Temporary disability benefits – Workers who will miss more than seven days of work are eligible to receive these benefits, which are limited to two-thirds your average weekly wage and capped at $1,043 per week in Virginia.
  • Permanent total disability benefits – If a doctor confirms that your disability is permanent and will affect your ability to work for life, you will continue to receive your temporary benefits for the rest of your life.
  • Permanent partial disability benefits – Some injured workers can receive additional benefits if they suffer permanent disabilities in certain body parts, including eyes, ears, arms, legs, hands, and feet. Affected workers receive two-thirds of their previous wages for a time period calculated by the level of function lost in the affected body part.

If you’re confused or wondering how you can maximize your disability payments, you’re not alone. It can be difficult to navigate the workers’ compensation system and maximize your income, but an experienced Norfolk workers’ compensation lawyer knows how to get it done. Call us today for a free consultation.

Why Do You Need a Lawyer After a Workplace Injury?

by admin@gotechark.com | December 25th, 2017

Getting hurt at work can change your life in an instant. In addition to causing severe pain and even disability, it can also leave you unable to do your job for weeks, months, or even the rest of your life. Almost all workplaces in Virginia are required to have workers’ compensation insurance in case their employees get hurt or sick on the job and are unable to return to work. But sometimes, those employees don’t get the benefits they deserve.

Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers knows how complex the Virginia workers’ compensation system can be and how often innocent employees are rejected from getting the benefits they need. Applying on your own can put your family’s future at risk, as a denial can mean months of waiting and no guarantee of approval even upon appeal.

With our Norfolk workers’ compensation lawyers on your side, you’ll have peace of mind knowing that our legal team is ready to:

  • Level the playing field for you and your loved ones – While all injured workers have the right to apply for workers’ compensation benefits on their own, having an attorney on your side from day one helps maximize your chances of getting a favorable outcome.
  • Allow you to focus on getting better – Applying for workers’ compensation benefits can be time consuming and exhausting. Our legal team is familiar with all steps of the process and knows what to expect at every turn. When we take on your claim, you’ll be free to focus on spending time with your family and getting better.

Let us ease the burden of your workplace injury. Call today for a free consultation and find out how we can assist you during this difficult time.

Avoid These 2 Common Workers’ Compensation Mistakes

by admin@gotechark.com | November 13th, 2017

Getting approved for workers’ compensation can feel like a tedious and confusing process. If you’ve never applied for workers’ compensation benefits before, you might not know which steps to take after a workplace injury. Unfortunately, many first-time applicants are denied, simply because they are unfamiliar with the process.

Our Norfolk workers’ compensation lawyers fight for the rights of injured workers who deserve benefits after they get hurt through no fault of their own. And while it’s our goal to take as much of the stress of the accident and application process off our clients’ shoulders as possible, injured workers can maximize their chances of approval by avoiding these two common mistakes:

  1. Waiting too long to report the injury. On-the-job accidents and injuries should be reported to a supervisor or manager immediately. In addition to making sure that an accurate workplace injury report is completed, this step also helps eliminate some of the suspicions that workplaces and their insurance companies often have when employees file for benefits.
  2. Lying about or exaggerating any aspect of the injury. Always be truthful with everyone after your on-the-job injury, including your supervisor, your doctor, and your attorney. Lying about the severity of your injury can jeopardize your chances of being approved for benefits, especially if the doctor finds out you weren’t hurt as badly as you claimed.

Calling Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers right away after your workplace injury can help you protect your rights to compensation. We want to help you better understand the process, and we’ll do everything we can to help you get the money you deserve. Call today for a free consultation.

Take These Steps Immediately after Your Workplace Accident.

by admin@gotechark.com | September 11th, 2017

Workers’ compensation benefits are essential for people who are hurt on the job and can’t return to work for extended periods of time. However, the workers’ compensation system that grants this form of replacement income can be extremely strict and full of red tape. That means some workers fall through the cracks and don’t get the money they need.

Most workers don’t know how to navigate the workers’ compensation system because they’ve never had to deal with it before. And while most of the headaches involved with filing a claim can be resolved by getting an experienced Norfolk workers’ compensation attorney on your side, there are two things you can do right after your accident to protect your claim:

  1. Tell your supervisor about the accident. You’re only eligible for benefits after your employer is aware that you were injured on the job and the company files an official workplace injury report. The sooner you tell your supervisor, the better. If you wait too long, your injury may appear suspicious and you may lose your opportunity to file a claim.
  2. Get immediate medical attention. Even if you typically avoid doctors and hospitals and don’t think your injury is serious, getting immediate medical treatment after a workplace injury is vital. The healthcare providers who diagnose your injury and begin treating it will create a medical record that can serve as valuable evidence for your claim.

At Lowell Stanley, we know the ins and outs of Virginia’s workers’ compensation program, and we can put our experience to work for you. You shouldn’t have to worry about handling the complexities of your claim while you’re sidelined with a serious injury. Call today for a free consultation.

Betrayed by Your Employer

by admin@gotechark.com | June 5th, 2017

Whatever happened to taking care of your own? That’s a question injured workers over the years have asked our workers’ compensation attorneys, and it’s a fair one. They feel betrayed by their employers after their accident. They expected that all of their medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs they’ve incurred from their injuries would be covered by workers’ compensation, but that’s not how it shaped out. Instead, the injured worker and their families are having to pick up a lot of the cost, and in our opinion, that’s not okay.

Bringing a successful workers’ comp claim against an employer or their insurance company can be difficult on your own. The key is understanding your rights as an injured worker in Virginia and then refusing to take any less than you rightfully deserve. That can take a great deal of courage when bills are already coming in. The financial pressure alone may cause you to make the wrong decision, not to mention the fear of losing your job if you don’t toe the line.

The Norfolk workers’ compensation attorneys at Lowell Stanley know your rights as an injured worker and won’t let you be intimidated into a bad decision by your employer or their insurance company. You and your family are going to need maximum compensation for your injuries, and that’s exactly what we’re going to go after. Contact us today for your free, no obligation consultation. We’re ready to help.

Workplace Accident? Escape the Financial Nightmare

by admin@gotechark.com | April 17th, 2017

We have some hardworking folks in Norfolk. It’s ingrained in our culture to work hard and earn every penny on our paycheck. Our families depend on those paychecks, and if we miss just one, it can quickly leave us in a financial nightmare. That’s why an on-the-job injury can turn any family upside down. If you’re injured, you can’t work. If you can’t work, you won’t get paid. If you don’t get paid, you may struggle to put food on the table and keep a roof over your head.

At Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers, we believe no Norfolk family should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from, but if you’ve been injured on the job, that could soon become your reality. You might think that workers’ compensation would pay your medical expenses and help provide for your family while you recover, but that’s not always the case. In reality, injured workers take far less than they deserve every day from workers’ comp insurance companies, leaving their families financially compromised.

Thankfully, there’s a better way. If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, call our experienced Norfolk workers’ comp lawyers today for a free consultation. We’ll review your case at no obligation to you and fight to get you the maximum benefits possible. Your family’s future may depend on what you do next. Contact us today.

The Workers’ Comp Benefits You Deserve

by admin@gotechark.com | January 30th, 2017

Workers’ compensation insurance is a great system in theory. It’s a way for business owners to minimize their liability and ensure their workers are covered in the event of an on-the-job injury. Unfortunately, theory and reality don’t always align. How it actually works out for the accident victim, in our experience, is that worker’s compensation covers a fraction of the overall cost of their accident, leaving the injured worker and his or her family holding the bills.

That’s why calling a workers’ compensation attorney at Lowell Stanley Injury Lawyers is always the right first step following a workplace accident. We know what your injury claim is truly worth and will put the full weight of our legal experience behind getting you that amount. That includes money for lost wages, all of your medical expenses, and extended benefits if you injury resulted in a disability. In addition, we may be able to secure the following under the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Act:

  • Lifetime medical benefits
  • Permanent partial impairment
  • Death benefits
  • Cost of living expenses
  • Vocational rehabilitation

If you’ve been injured on the job, call an experienced Norfolk workers’ comp attorney today for a free evaluation of your claim. You have a right to maximum benefits for your injuries, and we’ll ready to fight to get you nothing less. Don’t try to take on the insurance company alone. Contact our firm today.