How Much is Too Much When it Comes to Burbank Workers Comp Lawyer Fees?
You may be wondering if you should claim workers’ compensation for your work injury. The fall was so bad that you could not return to work.
The one thing holding you back is the lawyer’s fee. After paying so much for your medical expenses, pain and suffering, you know you can’t afford additional payments.
The good news is that most workers’ compensation attorneys in Burbank work on a contingency basis. It means you pay them only upon winning your case, out of your settlement, and not from your pocket.
How Much do Burbank Workers’ Comp Attorneys Receive?
How much lawyers can receive for representing you depends on your state’s laws and regulations. California has some of the lowest attorney fees when it comes to workers comp cases.
Depending on the complexity of your case, a judge in California may approve anywhere between a 10% to 15% fee. So unlike other states like Texas, you will never have to pay more than 15% in attorney fees. Injured Texas employees have to pay as much as 25% of their compensation.
Penalty Fees
There are some circumstances where your attorney will be able to get you some additional benefits with your workers’ compensation. It’s through a penalty to the employer, which can be awarded only under some circumstances.
Your lawyer can claim for additional penalty fees if your employer was involved in:
- Unreasonably refusing or delaying your workers’ compensation benefits
- Making discriminations based on the Labor Code
- Any form of severe or willful behavior
The penalty benefits you receive are separate from your workers’ compensation.
Your attorney is entitled to earn about 33% of your penalty fees.
Out-of-Pocket Expenses
There is some ‘upfront’ or ‘out-of-pocket’ expenses workers’ compensation attorneys have to bear while representing their disabled client.
Examples are payments for:
- Expert witness assessments
- Copying and postage
- Filing fees
- Medical or work records
- Any medical or psychiatric exams not included in insurance
The lawyer may pay for these expenses upfront, but it’s actually the employee’s or plaintiff’s responsibility.
These expenses usually amount to no more than a few hundred. Depending on the lawyer, you can pay them upfront or after receiving your settlement.
Some workers’ compensation attorneys may ask for upfront payments. It’s not against the law, and it’s legal for them to ask.
However, other lawyers bear these expenses until you receive your benefits.
They will send an itemized bill to you once your case is over. It discloses the actual payments made, and you can reimburse the costs they had spent on your behalf.
Is It Worth Hiring a Workers’ Compensation Attorney?
You may still wonder if it’s worth hiring an attorney and paying them a percentage of your workers’ compensation benefits. Many people feel that they can handle their cases and receive full benefits.
However, injured employees who hire an experienced attorney are likely to receive more and quicker compensation than those who don’t.
It’s because attorneys handle so many cases on an everyday basis. You will be handling your first case and have to learn the laws and system.
On the contrary, experienced attorneys know the system well. They know the required documents and how to navigate the paperwork, hearings, and other legal procedures.
Instead of wasting time learning the system and your mistakes, it’s better to hire an attorney to represent you. They will strive and do their best to ensure you receive the maximum workers’ compensation benefits you can receive.
You have, anyway, nothing to lose.
You have to pay them at the most 12-15% of your benefits, and nothing goes from your pocket. Pay them only if and when they win your case for you.