
Kristen Gyolai is owner and attorney at the Law Office of Kristen Gyolai. She represents employees who have been injured at work, and may have questions about how to best protect themselves when facing a potential work comp claim.
1. Do you have experience helping people in my profession?
You want to hire an attorney who understands the physical and mental demands of your job. If your attorney understands your job, he or she will be able to represent you more effectively.
2. Do you have experience representing people with my type of injury?
Most lawyers do not have specialized medical knowledge like a medical doctor does. However, it is important for your work comp attorney to have a good understanding of the type of injury you are suffering from so that he or she can read and understand your medical records. Medical records are a vital source of information in workers’ compensation cases.
3. Do you ever represent employers or insurance companies?
Some attorneys exclusively represent injured workers, and some do not. If a work comp attorney primarily represents employers and insurance companies and only occasionally represents an injured worker, that attorney could have some implicit bias.
4. What is your plan for my case?
Many, many attorneys give the same sales pitch to every potential client.. A good attorney will spend the time listening to the injured workers’ concerns and explaining what the attorney can do to help that specific injured worker. No two cases are alike. A conversation with an attorney, especially and initial consultation, should not feel one-sided. Meaning, you should not feel as if the attorney is speaking“at you” instead of “with you.”
5. If I hire you, who will be my primary point of contact at your office?
Too often, injured workers hire an attorney and then never have an opportunity to speak directly to that attorney. Either the attorney passes the case off to another attorney at the firm, or the attorney is so hard to get a hold of, the injured worker is only ever able to speak to an administrative assistant or a paralegal. You want to hire an attorney who you will be able to speak to when you have questions.
The material contained herein is for informational purposes only, and is not intended to create or constitute an attorney-client relationship between Schromen Law, LLC and the reader. The views expressed in this article are not a statement of support or endorsement by Schromen Law, LLC. The information contained herein is not offered as legal or medical advice and should not be construed as legal or medical advice.