Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Providence

Being injured on the job can derail your life in an instant, leaving you unable to work and facing mounting bills. In this situation, you need a lawyer who can compel your employer’s insurance provider to uphold its obligations.

For decades, your workers’ compensation lawyer in Providence at Gemma Law has provided personalized legal services to workers injured or ill on the job.

We serve clients in East Providence and North Providence as well. Our Providence personal injury lawyers have recovered millions of dollars for our clients.

Why Choose Us as Your Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Providence?

Gemma Law has a long history of providing victims of injuries with answers and solutions. When your employer fails to keep you safe and protected, you have the right to pursue recovery of your damages. We make it our priority to fight for fair treatment for you.

We understand the complex nature of a workers’ compensation claim and how to ensure your rights are protected. With a Providence personal injury lawyer by your side, you gain a powerful ally committed to protecting your rights and best interests when dealing with insurance companies. 

Contact our office to request a free consultation today and learn more about the types of benefits you might be entitled to and how to respond if the insurance company denies your workers’ comp claim. Our Providence workers’ compensation lawyer is a reliable, proven professional dedicated to supporting your best possible outcome.

You Deserve Fair Treatment: Why You Need a Providence Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Insurers are notoriously difficult companies focused on underpaying or denying legitimate workers’ compensation claims whenever possible to preserve their bottom line.

Their adjusters may attempt to downplay the severity of your injuries, dispute the work-related nature of your condition, or claim you can return sooner than medically advisable. 

Your attorney levels the playing field against these bad-faith tactics. Your workers’ compensation lawyer in Providence has an extensive understanding of Rhode Island’s complex labor laws and the evidence required to establish valid claims. Even if you received a denial before or were told you could not file a claim by your employer, we want to hear from you. 

Many of our clients see results after meeting with our team. We know how to gather and present persuasive proof of your injuries, workplace injury causes, medical treatment needs, income losses, and more. We can handle the paperwork and adjusters so you can focus on what matters most – your health.

Benefits Available in Rhode Island Workers’ Comp Claims 

All employers across Rhode Island are required to carry workers’ compensation coverage as described under RI Gen. Laws § 28-29-6. As long as a company has at least one employee, they are required to protect that employee with workers’ comp. 

If you are involved in a work-related accident, you may have the right to specific types of workers’ compensation benefits through your employer’s insurance provider. After you suffer an injury, inform your employer and get immediate medical care. When possible, ask where to go for that care.

You will then maintain responsibility for reporting your injury to the employer, who must file a claim on your behalf. The benefits you receive depend on numerous factors. They may include any of the following.

Medical Expenses

Every medical expense related to your work injury should be taken care of by the insurance company. While your health insurance coverage may pay for a portion of your medical expenses, every single out-of-pocket expense and excess damages your insurance company does not cover should be taken care of with your workers’ comp. benefits.

This includes any future medical care you may require, such as:

• Transportation expenses
• Mental health counseling
• Physical or occupational therapy
• Over-the-counter medications
• Prescription drugs
• Medical devices or equipment
• Diagnostic testing
• Ambulance bills
• Your hospital stay
• Rehabilitative care

Our legal team will make sure you understand all of your medical-specific losses and what your future looks like. We strongly encourage you not to simply ask insurance to pay your medical bills. You may have other medical-related costs to recover.

Vocational Rehabilitation

Vocational rehabilitation benefits may be available if your injuries prevent you from returning to work. These benefits can be used to go back to school or obtain further job training so you can eventually return to the workforce and start providing for yourself once more. 

However, if you are incapable of returning to work or otherwise finding gainful employment, vocational rehabilitation benefits may not be paid out.

Disability Benefits in East Providence

Our East Providence workers’ compensation attorney will help you determine if you can file a claim for the time you miss at work. If your doctor tells you not to go to work for a period of time due to your injury, follow those directions. Make sure you follow all of your care requirements.

In many situations, you can file a claim for workers’ compensation losses associated with missed time at work. The amount of compensation you will receive depends on your average weekly income, with a maximum compensation rate set each year by the State of Rhode Island Department of Labor and Training. 

Typically, you can continue collecting disability benefits until you can return to work or reach the maximum number of weeks allowed. The state’s laws allow injured workers to receive partial disability benefits for up to 312 weeks. If you are totally disabled, your benefits can continue for the rest of your life. However, there are limitations to this.

When You Need a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in North Providence

While Rhode Island’s workers’ compensation system is intended to provide expedited relief to employees injured on the job, the process is anything but straightforward.

Insurance companies routinely challenge and deny legitimate claims to protect their profits. In the following situations, it is highly recommended to have an experienced lawyer advocating for your rights:

• Your Claim is Denied: Insurance providers lose money whenever they pay out on a claim, so they do anything they can to reduce or deny legitimate claims. If your employer’s insurer has denied your workers’ comp claim, you face an uphill battle proving the validity of your injury or illness without legal representation. A workers’ compensation attorney in Providence from Gemma Law understands how to effectively pursue appealing a Rhode Island workers’ compensation decision when you are denied and can make compelling cases substantiating workplace accidents and occupational diseases.
• You Suffered Severe or Permanent Injuries: For catastrophic injuries resulting in permanent disabilities, you need our help calculating and pursuing the full lifetime of lost earnings, ongoing medical costs, and disability benefits you will require.
• The Insurance Company Is Undervaluing Your Claim: Insurers frequently undervalue devastating injury claims, and in such cases, it is worthwhile to have a lawyer evaluate your situation and determine whether negligence caused your injuries.
• Another Party Was at Fault: If another party was partially or fully liable for your accident, it may be possible to file a civil claim to pursue further compensation.
• Your Employer Disputes Your Claim: When employers attempt to claim your injury did not occur at work, it creates a complex dispute scenario. Our team is skilled in workers’ comp litigation. We know how to investigate and gather evidence proving your claim’s legitimacy.
• The Insurer’s Settlement Offer Seems Too Low: Insurance companies may seem accommodating at first by extending settlement offers to pay medical bills and a limited period of lost wages. However, these lump sums rarely provide complete compensation for long-term losses and medical needs arising from workplace injuries and illnesses. Accepting a lump sum workers’ compensation settlement offer could also release the insurance company from any future liability for your medical expenses.
• Your Claim is Complicated or Contested: Some workers’ compensation cases involving pre-existing conditions, third-party liabilities, or disputes over medical treatment and disability assessments require extensive legal expertise. In any situation where your claim seems unfair or complex, let our North Providence workers’ compensation attorney handle it for you instead.

An experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Providence can improve the outcome of complex claims. We are not afraid to challenge an insurance provider’s bad-faith tactics. Our lawyer becomes your advocate in these cases. We will stay by your side to help you through the legal process.

If You Need to Appear at a Hearing

If disputes over workers’ comp benefits lead to formal appeals hearings or civil court proceedings, trying to represent yourself dramatically reduces your chances of a favorable outcome. Workplace injury cases are highly technical legal matters with your personal and family’s financial security at stake. 

When complications or disputes arise, securing experienced legal representation is crucial to protecting your right to maximum benefits allowed under Rhode Island law, per RI Gen. Laws § 28-33-17.

You May Be Told to Report to Work Before You Are Fully Recovered

Insurance companies are always looking for ways to minimize the payouts they must make for workers’ compensation claims. They may try prematurely forcing you to return to work duties before your injury has properly healed. 

The reason is that getting you back on the job, even in a limited capacity, allows them to cease paying full benefits.  If your treating physician still considers you unfit to return to work for medical reasons, you should immediately seek help from a Providence workers’ compensation lawyer.

Unfortunately, employers and insurers may still attempt to compel your premature return by arguing:

• Your restrictions can be accommodated with light-duty or modified job tasks
• An independent medical exam they arranged cleared you as able to work
• The duration of your disability payments has expired based on their assessment

Attempting to work while still recovering puts you at grave risk of reinjuring yourself or worsening your condition. Our Providence workers’ compensation lawyer can help you navigate your rights in these situations.

Always seek legal guidance if you feel as if you are being forced to go back to work. Browse our frequently asked questions to learn more about workers’ compensation.

What to Do if Your Employer Demands You Return to Work

In these situations, you need an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Providence to protect your rights. We know how to gather further substantive medical evidence disputing the insurer’s claims about your fitness to return to work. Do not put your health and ability to work in the future at risk.

You do not need to allow the insurance company to bully you into reinjury. Our firm protects workers like you whenever your rights regarding disability leave and transitional accommodations are infringed upon. Contact our team immediately if you believe you are being taken advantage of. 

Trying to negotiate with adjusters and employers alone is a significant disadvantage in a workers’ compensation case. With a workers’ compensation attorney in Providence safeguarding your interests, insurers quickly learn their tactics will not be tolerated. We take aggressive action to ensure your rights are upheld and you receive all benefits owed.

Contact a Providence Workers’ Compensation Attorney for a Free Consultation

Injuries at work can dramatically disrupt your life and ability to provide for yourself and your family. Do not gamble with your future by letting insurance adjusters take advantage of you during this precarious situation. Contact Gemma Law now to discuss what is happening to you with our Providence workers’ compensation lawyer.

Let our dedicated and compassionate team stand up for the benefits and just compensation you deserve when you contact us today for a free, no–obligation consultation.