What to expect at your Iowa workers comp hearing

What To Expect At Your Iowa Workers Comp Hearing

A workers' compensation hearing is an important step in the claims' process. At the hearing, you and the opposing side present evidence about the claim. A workers' compensation lawyer can help you prepare for the hearing and represent you in the hearing. When you’re hurt in a work-related accident, you may be ready for your workers' comp benefits to make your recovery easier. But you may not have gotten your benefits. You were denied workers' compensation, and now you’re suffering for that loss. You have a chance to change that decision with a workers' comp lawyer. Know what to expect at your Iowa workers' compensation hearing, and you may be able to dismiss that denial and get benefits during your physical recovery.

What Happens in a Workers' Compensation Hearing?

The workers' compensation hearing is a critical step to the survival of your claim for benefits. Your Iowa workers' compensation hearing may focus on proving the reason for your workers' compensation denial was wrong. For example, the reason you were denied may surround a lack of evidence. In these cases, you and your workers comp lawyer may seek more medical exams and second opinions from trusted doctors. If you’re worried about presenting complex evidence, don’t worry—your workers comp lawyer can present the evidence for your claim. They have experience with technical evidence and expert witnesses. By letting your workers' compensation lawyer prepare the evidence for your hearing, you have a chance to focus on your injuries and your healing.

Workers' Compensation Hearing Questions

Proving that you’re eligible for compensation for a work-related injury isn’t about the evidence alone. Your employer’s lawyer may ask you questions about your work accident and the details of your claim. They may also try to trip you up, to prove you’re not telling the truth about your claim. During the workers' compensation hearing, the commissioners and the attorneys may ask you about things like:
  • The severity of your injuries
  • The day-to-day impact of your injuries on your life and ability to work
  • The circumstances leading to your injury
  • The type of medical care you received, and when
  • The disability rating assigned to you by the doctors
  • The likelihood that you will be able to return to work, and when
You may also answer questions about your compliance level with the treatment recommendations from the approved provider(s). If you are claiming lost earning capacity workers' compensation benefits, the commission may ask questions about this as well.  Your lawyer can help you prepare for this portion of the hearing. Answering the question as truthfully as possible is often the best way to settle your claim. Your lawyer can guide you through what you should say and what details to include in your statements.

An Attorney Can Help You Through the Workers' Compensation Hearing Process

The key part of your Iowa workers' comp hearing for you may be the decision on your workers' comp benefits. You need that support to comfortably recover from your injuries, which may be severe. A deputy Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner will preside over your claim and decide whether you’re due workers' comp benefits. Luckily, your hearing can successfully wrap up your claim. The commissioner will approve or deny your claim during the hearing. If you’re approved, you’ll then receive the workers' comp benefits you’re due for your work-related accident.

Talk to a Lawyer Before Your Iowa Workers' Compensation Hearing

Even if you think you have an open-and-shut case, your workers' comp benefits aren’t always easy to get. You may need to take your claim to a hearing, where you and your lawyer will present your claim in front of a workers' compensation commissioner. But what can you expect at your Iowa workers' comp hearing? If you’re inexperienced in the courtroom, you may need help from the lawyers at Pothitakis Law Firm, PC. They have the tools you need to get the workers' comp benefits you’re due. To learn more about our services, start with a free consultation when you call (319) 318-0450 or fill out the online contact form below.
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