There are a lot of different people involved in a worker’s compensation case, and if you’re unfamiliar with the process it can be hard to keep track of who everyone is. Here’s a quick guide to make it easier for you. The different roles are listed in alphabetical order, not in the order you’ll come across them in the process.
Attorney (lawyer): Your HammondTownsend attorney, or lawyer, will represent your claim in front of the Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission and will handle communication with the insurance company.
Commissioner: The Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission is led by three (3) Commissioners chosen by the General Assembly. They serve six (6) year terms, chose Deputy Commissioners, and preside over appeals.
Deputy Commissioner: There are multiple Deputy Commissioners. A Deputy Commissioner sits at an evidentiary hearing between you and your attorney and the insurance company and acts like a judge.
Employer: Your employer is represented by the insurance company. Your employer may change your duties or offer you different work if you can’t continue to do the work you used to do after your injury, either temporarily or permanently.
Injured worker: You, the injured worker, are the center of a worker’s comp case. The case is centered around getting you the compensation you deserve for your injury.
Intake specialist: The intake specialist will talk with you when you first call HammondTownsend at 888-580-9048. She will take down some details of your situation to pass along to the attorney. Her job is to get as many details as possible so the attorney has all the information he needs about your case.
Insurance Company: The employer has workers’ compensation insurance, much like you have car insurance. During the claim, you and your attorney will deal with the insurance company. The insurance company handles paying you the money you receive from your claim.
Deputy Commissioner: There are multiple Deputy Commissioners. A Deputy Commissioner sits at an evidentiary hearing between you and your attorney and the insurance company and gives a decision in writing later on.
Paralegal: A specific paralegal will be assigned to your case and will be your main point of contact at HammondTownsend. If you have any questions about how your case is going, have information to send along, or need to talk directly to your attorney, the paralegal will handle it.
Physician: After you tell your employer that you’ve been injured at work, your job will connect you with a physician (doctor) who will examine you. Depending on the type of injury, you may need to see multiple doctors and/or medical professionals such as physical therapists.
HammondTownsend knows how to get results when you’ve been injured at work. Call us today at 888-580-9048 for a free consultation and get started on getting the compensation you deserve.