You’ve met with your workers’ compensation lawyer. They asked you about your injury, explained how the workers’ comp process works in New York and discussed the next steps.
Does this mean you should just rest, focus on getting better, and wait to hear something? As a client, you deserve regular updates from your attorney. And keeping them up to date on your condition and the medical care you are receiving helps your lawyer work on your case.
How often should we talk?
Basically, when you are in the midst of a workers’ compensation claim, you should plan on talking to your attorney every few weeks or so until your claim is resolved. This keeps you in the loop about the progress of your case and what is in your New York State Workers’ Compensation Board file. This can be especially important if your doctor has yet to file a medical report. Your lawyer will know what to do if your doctor has not taken care of this key piece of evidence yet, but in some cases, physicians respond better to direct requests from their patients.
And if you plan to testify at the hearing, you will need to prepare your testimony so that you know what questions to expect and what you say is clear, accurate and convincing. An experienced workers’ comp attorney will have been through hundreds of these hearings, as well as prehearing conferences. They will work with you to make sure you go into the hearing feeling confident about what you are going to say.
Keep control of your case
It can be frustrating just to wait weeks or months for news whether you have gotten workers’ compensation benefits or not. Regular communication with your lawyer can give you a clearer picture of what is happening and a feeling of control over your case.