Here is a brief overview of what you can expect to pay a work injury attorney in Chicago.
1
"Contingency" fee
Workers' compensation attorneys are paid on a contingency fee basis. This means that they are paid only if they recover money for you. You only pay if and when you get paid. If the attorney is unable to get a recovery, you owe them nothing. The contingency fee is usually 20%, which is the limit set by law. Contingency fees benefit the client because there is no fee upfront. This means that anyone can afford to hire a workers' comp attorney. Contingency fees reward the attorney for taking a risk, the risk being the possibility of receiving no fee at all if the case isn't successful.
2
Other fees and costs
There is no fee for filing a work injury claim with the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission. You should not owe an attorney for this. Other costs that may come up are fees to obtain medical records or to pay for a doctor's deposition. An established work injury attorney or firm will cover these costs for you.
3
Written agreement
When you decide to hire a particular attorney, you should also receive an attorney representation agreement. This form establishes the fee that you and your attorney are agreeing to. The form will state that the fee is 20% of medical, 20% of payments for time off work, and 20% of the amount you get for the permanent nature of your injury. This probably sounds like a lot, especially if you are counting on the lost wages benefits to live on. Most established workers' comp attorneys will not charge you this fee unless they have to go to trial. If they can help you resolve disputes about medical coverage or payment for time off work by negotiating with the insurance company, they won't take any fee for that. Make sure you discuss all of this with an attorney before hiring him or her. Getting all of your questions answered at the beginning will hopefully prevent a disagreement down the road.
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