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your complaints of pain. Otherwise, you will jeopardize your claim for
benefits and a potential settlement.

Chapter 7: Hiring an Attorney For Your Claim

§7.1 Do I Need an Attorney?
Many people after an accident believe the insurance company
will pay workers’ compensation benefits in a fair and prompt manner. In

this author’s opinion, this is far from the truth! Insurance companies are
for-profit enterprises whose goal is to maximize profits for its

shareholders. The motto of many insurance companies is to:
• Deny the claim altogether – when that tactic is not an
option;

• Delay the claim for as long as possible; and then
• Defend the claim and try to discredit the claimant and

pay as little compensation as possible.
Here is a typical scenario: Deny. You are involved in an on-the-
job accident in which you hurt your back lifting an object just before the

end of your shift. Because it was the end of the workday, you wait until
the next day to tell a supervisor. The insurance company might use this

delay to deny that you suffered a work-related injury – claiming that you
“could have sustained the injury at home.” However, you then produce a
co-worker to corroborate your accident. At this time, the insurance

company may go into delay mode. During this time, the insurance
company may ask you to fill out irrelevant documents and request
medical records for unrelated conditions. They then undergo a “review

process” of the medical records and documents they requested. Once the
insurance company has completed its review of your claim, they then

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