Workers’ Compensation and Disability Attorneys
At Fields Law, we pride ourselves on a team-based approach to helping our clients. Below is an example of how the Fields Law team earns victories for our clients in legal practice areas that are closely tied together – Workers’ Compensation, Long Term Disability, and Social Security Disability.
Our client was a Marine Corps Veteran who worked for a telecommunications company. He climbed towers to lift and install heavy radio, fiber optics, and cell network infrastructure around the Midwest. He lived in Illinois, but his work took him across the country, including almost a year in Minnesota.
At one work site in Minnesota, he had to maneuver hundreds of pounds of heavy cable through a narrow passage and hurt his left shoulder badly. Because he was away from home and his crew was behind on projects, he was not able to get treatment right away, so he continued to work. At another work site, our client and other employees had to balance a 600-pound radio cabinet, but it fell. This accident exacerbated his shoulder problem and caused torn ligaments in both wrists. He could no longer work so he returned home to Illinois for treatment.
In Illinois, he searched the internet and hired a call-center representative to assist with a claim for Social Security Disability benefits. He shopped around for a Workers’ Compensation attorney to help with his Workers’ Compensation claim and started a Long Term Disability application through his employer’s insurance coverage. Unfortunately, none of these attempts to restore his income worked.
The Social Security Disability representative stopped answering the phone, the Workers’ Compensation attorney said he did not have a valid Illinois claim, and the insurance company denied his application for Long Term Disability benefits because he didn’t fit their definition of “disabled.” He spent months of time and energy on these processes and grew frustrated with the lack of updates he received as the weeks flew by.
How The Fields Law Team Was Able To Help
After attempting to restore his income with no luck, he contacted Fields Law for help. Our firm handled his Workers’ Compensation, Long Term Disability, and Social Security Disability claims. Our attorneys and paralegals were transparent about each process, giving updates on timelines and judicial proceedings as our client’s cases progressed. The Fields Law attorneys and staff reached out to over a dozen medical providers for records to obtain our client’s full medical record.
Our Workers’ Compensation attorneys determined that our client was eligible for Minnesota Workers’ Compensation benefits due to his time spent working in Minnesota. We set up a deposition via Skype so our client could stay at home in Illinois while we worked on the case. Our attorneys filed a claim petition on behalf of our client, highlighting evidence that our client was permanently disabled and therefore entitled to ongoing wage-loss benefits.
Simultaneously, our Long Term Disability attorneys used the medical records to draft and send a strong appeal to the insurance company for Long Term Disability benefits. We pointed out that the insurance company ignored key evidence and that our client fit the policy’s definition of “disabled.”
Meanwhile, our Social Security Disability team obtained the application file from our client’s previous advocate in Illinois. The claim from that advocate group was ultimately denied, but the team at Fields Law had already compiled the medical evidence necessary to appeal the decision. Our team was immediately ready to file for an appeal hearing so we could fight for our client in front of a judge.
Our client received benefits in all three cases! During mediation, our Workers’ Compensation attorneys negotiated a generous lump-sum settlement for the Workers’ Compensation claim. Shortly after he received his settlement check, the Social Security Administration overturned their denial so our client could receive monthly benefits. Finally, a few weeks later, our client received a letter from the Long Term Disability insurer awarding back pay and ongoing monthly benefits. Our client was so relieved! His fight to restore his income was over, and he could focus on his ongoing treatment.
We obtained a tremendous result for our client, and it was a firm-wide effort that made it possible. Our injury and disability attorneys and paralegals pursued opposing counsel for updates and to confirm when checks were going to be sent. We followed up constantly with medical providers to ensure we had the most updated records. Most importantly, we updated our client every step of the way and he always had someone to call if he had any questions.
If you or someone you know needs help with receiving Workers’ Compensation or Disability benefits, give our Workers’ Compensation and Disability attorneys a call today for a free consultation and put our team to work for you.
