[lynn1054]

I notice that you advise people quite often to seek a worker's compensation attorney. Any advice on what a person can do if an attorney can not be found who will take the case and we do not have the money to pay an attorney upfront? My husband's hearing is coming up on April 11 - just found this out last week after having been told 2 weeks previously that it would be at least a year to a year and a half before the hearing. I just found this site and am not at all certain that you are still active on this site so I will not go into all the details until if/when I hear back from you and if/when you would want to hear the whole sad story. I apologize if I am intruding on a separate thread but I am not at all sure on this site how to start a new thread directed to a particular person.

If you think they're playing games to deny you medical benefits you require, you may wish to discuss your situation with a workers' compensation lawyer in your state.

[Mr. Knowitall]

You shouldn't be able to pay a worker's comp lawyer up front, at least in any state I'm aware of. Perhaps there are a couple of exceptions, but worker's compensation lawyer fees are usually tightly regulated and are based on the recovery.

Check to see if your state's bar association offers a lawyer referral service.

[RedT]

Call your state's Workers' Compensation Division/Commission/Association and see if they have an injured workers section that could help you with ombudsman/representation assistance.

Ombudsman are not attorney's but are very knowledgable in the law and can go to a hearing with you and assist you (usually by acting the attorney part without being an atty).

Also in some states you cannot hire and pay for an atty. All atty fees must either come out of the benefits you receive or could be paid by the insurance company if you win. This is why is it sometime very difficult to get an atty. You probably want to check your state law on attorney fees.

[Mr. Knowitall]

You can also get a lot of information from other injured workers at Workers Compensation Insurance . Com.