Whether you work in an office, in a construction zone, at a laboratory, in a classroom, or on the road as a driver or police officer, there’s always a risk of injury. Sometimes, despite taking all precautions, accidents and illnesses occur. They can leave loyal employees without the ability to perform their job and earn a paycheck. While many are relieved to learn that they have workers’ compensation coverage, they are all too often let down by the claims process, an outright denial of their claim, unnecessary delays in payment and/or routine underpayment of benefits due. One thing is certain: insurance companies can put their financial goals above everything else, leaving little room to help those in need of prompt, fair and appropriate payment of claims.
If this sounds familiar for you or someone you love, Keating Wagner is here to help. We take your workers’ compensation claim seriously, even if the insurance company doesn’t. You deserve full compensation for your work-related injury or illness, and we won’t stop fighting for your rights until we’ve exhausted all available options.
Do You Need a Colorado Workers’ Comp Attorney?
After suffering an on-the-job injury, workers rarely understand why they need a lawyer on their side. After all, Colorado law entitles them to benefits. While this is true, having benefits available doesn’t mean they are always accessible, and an attorney can be an invaluable resource along the way: taking an active role in getting you the compensation you and your family deserve. Your attorney can advocate for you to ensure that you get the full amount of medical, financial and other workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to receive.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
Colorado law requires employers with one or more full or part-time employees to have workers’ compensation, or “workers’ comp,” insurance. It covers injuries and illnesses arising out of and occurring during the scope of employment. Fault for the illness or accident is rarely relevant and workers’ comp insurance protects both injured workers and employers from expensive, time-consuming litigation.
The fair value of workers’ comp benefits depends on the nature and extent of the injuries or illnesses at issue in your claim, the associated mental or physical impairment, time missed from work and other variables, such as disfigurement. Workers who are hurt while at work or suffer a work-related illness are entitled to benefits for:
- Medical expenses for reasonable and related care
- Lost wages
- Money for total or partial disability
- Death benefits
- Mileage
- Disfigurement
While any individual hired to perform a job in exchange for monetary pay might be considered an employee, unfortunately, independent contractors aren’t protected by Colorado’s workers’ comp laws. As such, some employers attempt to evade paying workers’ compensation claims by categorizing workers as independent contractors instead of as employees. If you think you might have been unfairly designated an independent contractor, contact our experienced workers’ comp team to review all of your legal options.
Who Needs a Workers’ Comp Attorney?
Not every injured worker needs help. Those who will benefit the most from legal representation include:
- Workers with severe injuries
- Workers whose doctors believe that they suffer permanent impairment
- Workers who think they’ll be saddled with permanent restrictions
- Workers concerned they might not be able to work in any profession or job in the future
- Workers who have significant pre-existing conditions
- Workers whose claims were denied
- Workers wanting to dispute a decision made by their employer or insurer
- Workers who don’t believe that they are receiving full benefits
- Workers whose medical care has been denied
- Workers who don’t understand the workers’ compensation process completely.
If any of these scenarios apply in your case, or you have questions about your case, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our seasoned team. The sooner you contact us, the more options we can offer you.
Keating Wagner Can Help
Work-related illnesses and injuries have a potentially devastating impact on workers and their families. They can send jobs and even careers to a fast end, and relatively “minor” injuries can be problematic. Colorado workers’ compensation laws are multifaceted, ever-evolving, and woven with procedural hurdles that can make it nearly impossible for workers in this state to obtain the benefits they deserve. It’s critical to find sound, trusted advice. At Keating Wagner, it’s our belief that injured workers deserve nothing less than representation from our experienced team solely devoted to workers’ compensation claims.
For more than four decades, Keating Wagner has represented injured workers just like yourself, fighting for the benefits that injured workers deserve to receive. We are well-known for helping thousands of injured workers and their family members obtain the benefits and support they need in legal negotiations and trials. In fact, we work with some of the state’s largest unions, and we are proud to specialize in representing law enforcement personnel and first responders for many decades.
If you were hurt in an accident at work or believe you have a work-related illness, be sure to:
- Seek immediate medical attention
- Notify your employer
- Contact our office to learn more about your legal rights
Offering Free Case Consultations
We offer no-obligation, complimentary case consultations to allow you to speak with one of our firm’s experts about your worker’s case. In some cases, we can resolve a crucial legal matter without accepting compensation. However, if legal representation is necessary for your case, we are happy to work on a contingency basis. We only earn our fee only when our client’s needs have been met, and we’ve secured compensation on their behalf. So give our office a call or email us today to learn more about how we can help after a workplace illness or injury.
