When you’ve been injured on the job and are fighting for the workers’ compensation benefits you need, it’s much wiser to work with an experienced legal advocate.
Many people try to “go it alone,” however, because they don’t believe that they can afford an attorney. Understanding more about how workers’ comp attorneys get paid in Ohio may help alleviate your concerns.
Contingency fees and hourly rates: What’s the difference?
Many (if not most) workers’ comp attorneys work on a contingency fee basis. That means that you owe the attorney nothing up front if they agree to take your case. If your claim is unsuccessful, you owe nothing. If you win your claim, your attorney would be entitled to take a percentage of the settlement or award you received.
Ohio is somewhat unique, however, in that the law also allows attorneys and clients to agree to an hourly charge, instead. This can be a benefit for injured workers who only need a small amount of help with their claim or a specific issue — they would avoid having to hand over a big chunk of money for little gain.
The drawback to the hourly-rate method, of course, is that it’s pay-as-you-go. Even if your attorney is unsuccessful, you would still have to settle the bill for their services.
How can you best protect your interests when dealing with workers’ comp?
Before you assume that you can’t afford an attorney, sit down and talk the situation over with an experienced advocate. Your workers’ compensation benefits are supposed to be there for you in your time of need. Legal help may be far more available to you than you realize.