Hiring an attorney. Yes, this needs to be one of the steps you take right after an accident happens but hiring the right one can also make all the difference in the world. Personal Injury Attorney Richard Griffin of Griffin Law Firm joins me now to talk a little bit more about Workers’ Comp claims. Richard, thank you for coming in.

It’s great to be here.

Okay, so when it comes to Workers’ Comp, you say people should go ahead and hire someone as soon as possible. Now, what could happen if they don’t?

Well, you can have a situation where your claim might disappear. A lot of times getting noticed to your employer has to be done within 30 days. But getting the case on track, getting the medical treatments you need, getting those income benefits started, and/or selecting the right doctor off the panel. Those are going to be the things that are going to make sure that case is on track right from the beginning. If you wait, and a lot of times that on-the-job injury could have some major problems (we can still get through but it may be a lot harder) and it could impact the value of the case.

How long does it typically take for the entire case to come to the end settlement?

A lot of times people are very very anxious to get it settled. If they’ve been a car accident, a personal injury case or Workers’ Comp. If they’ve been in it for a while, they’ve got a lot of treatment, they’re frustrated (sometimes with the doctors) or they’re just ready to put this case behind them. We can (oftentimes) get cases settled very very quickly.

There have even been situations where we’ve been hired and another attorney was on the case  and had it for 3 years before they gave up on them. They hired us and we were able to get a that case settled within 30 days for a very large amount of money.

We also had a case where a nurse got injured her shoulder. She’d already had the surgery, she’s ready to move on and she hired us. Within two weeks, we had that case settled. So it can be very very quick if it’s the right time in the case and if the client wants to to get the case settled.

So when it comes to that, is there kind of like the right time to go ahead and kick it off the ground or is a little waiting process?

There is “the right time.” First of all, the client is going to control that. I’m going to give my advice as to whether it’s time to settle or not and I’m going to listen to what my client wants me to do. That’s what we’re going to get done for him or for her. Certainly at the beginning of the case (before they have really gotten all the injuries cleared and clearly diagnosed) and the treatment is before it get going, there’s not much value. Then, as the treatment begins to ramp up; you might have injections or surgeries, the value is getting very high. Then, as you’re getting income benefits paid, it’s still high, but if you wait too long then the doctor could discharge you. You might go back to work and the benefits stop and then you’ve waited too long. You can still get the case settle but for a much smaller amount.

You had a client who actually needed treatment first opposed to actually just jumping right into the settlement. So what’s your suggestion on that?

I think that we’re unique. Because, I get a lot of calls from people who have complaints about attorneys that say, “All they want to do is settle the case but I need surgeries, injections, and epidurals all these different things.” We listen to the client and we’re going to get in and fight for those things. There are times when someone wants to get that treatment because they want to get better before they settle. Well, you’re going to hear from a client today that was happy because we did just that. In 72 hours we got a long list of things that he desperately needed.

72 hours? Actually, let’s go ahead and listen in to him right now.

Client Testimonial

“Prior to hiring the Griffin Firm, I was scared and confused. I was in a lot of pain. I didn’t know what was going to come the next day. After hiring the firm, my life turned around inside of 72 hours. Immediately, I started getting the care that I that I needed. My medications we’re starting to get filled as the doctors had required. I immediately got an MRI, a CAT scan and a Discogram.  Immediately, they made certain that I was getting the care that was due me.

Richard, thank you. You guys make certain that that happens immediately.

People can actually hop on your website. You guys can also call their firm which is 877-PAIN-LAW or log onto 877painlaw.com com, to go ahead and get your case started.