Hi, I’m Bram Weidenaar with Alvine Weidenaar. I’ve been representing injured workers for over 25 years. Frequently I’m asked, “When does an injured worker need a lawyer?”
There are three situations in which an injured worker should hire an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.
First, if you are receiving medical bills that are not being paid or being paid late, you should consider hiring an attorney. No one wants to get sent to collections over unpaid medical bills. Contact us at Alvine Weidenaar sooner than later before you get sent to collections.
Second, if you miss more than seven days from work, you should probably get a lawyer. This happens in two situations. First situation is when you’re recovering from your injury and you’re not getting paid for your lost time. The second situation is when you’ve recovered fully, your new work injury restrictions prevent you from returning to the job which you were previously doing.
Lastly, if you receive a letter denying workers’ compensation benefits from the workers’ compensation insurance company, you should contact a lawyer immediately. Don’t wait. South Dakota law says that you only have two years to file a petition for hearing with the South Dakota department of labor, or you will lose your rights.
If you find yourself in one of these situations, give me a call at Alvine Weidenaar. The only thing we do is fight for the injured.
– Bram