Thousands of workers are hurt each year while on the job. Many incur extensive medical bills, lost wages, and financial hardship due to their time off work.
While every work injury is different, any injured worker should be afforded the opportunity to focus on healing instead of worrying about their insurance claim.
There’s no reason you should have to worry about taking care of your injuries and your family at the same time; let us help you get the compensation you truly deserve.Â
At Lightfoot Law, PLLC, our Washington D.C. work injury lawyer strives to ensure you receive compensation for your pain, lost wages, and medical bills.
We review your case to determine responsibility for your injuries, assist you in filing a claim and advise you of other legal options available to pay for your injuries.
Why Choose Lightfoot Law, PLLC?
We are experienced and knowledgeable in all areas of work injury law. Our team handles every aspect of your workers compensation or personal injury claim from investigation through negotiation and settlement or trial.
We are successful at winning work injury settlements and verdicts. Our team has obtained successful case results for work injuries and personal injury ranging from $90,000 to $2,150,000.Â
We are caring and compassionate towards victims of serious injuries and understanding their issues. It’s important to have an experienced and competent attorney, but sometimes it’s just as important to have a lawyer you trust who truly has your best interest in mind as a person, not just a client.
At Lightfoot Law, PLLC, you can be certain that we care deeply about all of our clients. We treat our clients just as we’d want our own family members to be treated.
Let our Washington D.C. work injury attorneys answer your claim questions, address any of your concerns, and provide you with any needed medical referrals for your care.
While it’s always important to have an experienced and qualified attorney, it can be just as necessary to have a compassionate attorney that you trust and feel comfortable speaking with.
At Lightfoot Law, PLLC, we meet all of the above criteria, and we would be honored to assist you. Contact us today to schedule your no-obligation consultation, and you can also call (202)-919-5453.
How Can A Washington D.C. Work Injury Attorney Help?
Work injury claims are complex and best handled by skilled attorneys.
They employ strict deadlines, have extensive paperwork, and there are specific rules that must be followed when filing a workers’ compensation claim, personal injury claim or a workplace death claim in Washington D.C..
The work injury attorneys at Lightfoot Law, PLLC, stand ready to help you with:
1. Protecting Your Rights Against The Insurance Company and Employers
Typically, insurance companies have one goal: to make money. To do this, they often try to pay out as little money as possible, even when they know you deserve compensation.
When you hire competent lawyers, you can be certain that the insurance companies won’t try to take advantage of you. We will make sure that if they make you a settlement offer, it’s a good one. If it’s not, we will fight until you get what you deserve.Â
2. Building You A Strong Case
We will collect evidence, get your side of the story, speak to witnesses, obtain medical records and any relevant and available video surveillance footage, and any anything else that will help your case.Â
3. Shielding You From Employer Retaliation
While most people know it’s illegal for an employer to retaliate against them for filing a work injury claim, that doesn’t mean that some employers won’t try it.
We will do everything in our power to make sure that you aren’t retaliated against. If you are, we will hold your employer accountable. Retaliation doesn’t just include firing; it can include any adverse employment action. We will be with you ever step of the way.
4. We Will Fight For A Higher Settlement
All of our lawyers have significant experience litigating cases and negotiating settlements. Many firms will push you to take a settlement just to resolve your case as quickly as possible.
This isn’t always in your best interest, as you can often win more at trial or negotiate further. Our attorneys always have your best interest at heart, and you can rest assured that they will advise you based on what’s best for you, not for our own bottom line.
Testimonials
Here’s what some of our happy clients have to say. (Google Reviews)
“Lightfoot Law has some of the brightest minds in the business! I myself have enjoyed our partnership. They put clients first and give maximum effort that produce results!”
– Matt and Laura Workman
“My husband and I were very happy to have Mr. Lightfoot represent us. He was meticulously prepared, gave excellent arguments, made us feel as comfortable as one can feel in court and had a good sense of humor as well. He and his staff were very accommodating, answering our calls promptly and over weekends. We recommend him!”
– Eka Kapiotis
“Mr. William P. Lightfoot did excellent work for my father. He will be considered in the future for my family and recommended to my friends and family members as well. I would highly recommend Mr. William P. Lightfoot because of his expertise, service and patience with people.”
– Cynthia Copeland
Table of Contents
To access any part on this page below, click any of the following links.
- Causes of Work InjuriesÂ
- Filing a Washington, D.C. Work Injury Claim
- Workers’ Compensation vs. Third-Party Claims
- How A Work Injury Lawyer Will Help
- Contact Us Today
Causes of Work Injuries in Washington, D.C.
Work injuries happen every day in Washington, D.C. Statistically, a work injury occurs every seven seconds in the United States. Overexertion from manual labor is the most cited cause of work accidents, along with slips, trips, and falls, and contact with objects and equipment.
Examples of workplace injuries are:
- Severe burns;
- Broken bones;
- Skin and lung diseases;
- Amputation and disfigurement;
- Repetitive motion injuries;
- Neck and back injuries;
- Spinal cord injuries, including paralysis;
- Head and brain injuries, including traumatic brain injury; and
- Hearing and vision loss.
Injuries from work can cause a worker to be disabled often categorized as temporary partial disability, temporary total disability, permanent partial disability, and permanent total disability. All of these outcomes cause by a workplace accident are grounds for a lawsuit.
How To File a Washington, D.C. Work Injury Claim
When you hire a work injury lawyer, they will typically handle all aspects of the case for you. Still, it can be helpful for you to understand how the claim process works so you can be an active participant in your case.Â
One of the most important aspects in filing a claim is to make sure you’ve alerted your employer of your workplace injury.
You must report your injury to your employer and the Office of Workers’ Compensation within 30 days of your injury (or 30 days of when you become aware that you have an injury that is related to something that happened in your workplace), and it must be done in writing.Â
If your claim is accepted, you should start receiving benefits within 14 working days, and continue receiving payments every two weeks for as long as you are medically disabled and unable to work.
If your claim was denied, you will be sent an explanation of why it was denied and then you can decide if you wish to appeal the decision.Â
Workers’ Compensation vs. Third-Party Claims
While workers’ compensation will pay for medical care and a portion of lost wages regardless of fault for workplace injuries, there are instances that leave injured workers with unpaid accident-related costs.
Workers with remaining costs may qualify for a third-party accident claim in Washington D.C.. A third-party claim allows workers to recover damages from parties they come into contact with while on the job.
Third-party claims are unlike workers’ compensation claims in that workers have to prove the third-party was at fault for their workplace injuries.
Common third-parties include:
- Subcontractors;
- Contractors;
- Equipment manufacturers;
- Engineers;
- Coworkers;
- Architects;
- Manufacturer of industrial chemicals;
- Construction site owners;
- Property owner or manager; or
- Drivers.
It’s important to understand the difference between a typical workers’ compensation claim and a third-party claim.
Generally, your only recourse for a work-related injury is to collect workers’ compensation, which is often limited in scope and doesn’t offer as much compensation as you would’ve received had you been able to continue working normally.
However, when the claim is against a third-party company or an individual who isn’t your actual employer, you may be able to recover substantially more money.
This is because you’re usually permitted to file a civil lawsuit against a third party instead of a workers’ compensation claim.
If you need to file a third-party claim, we can help you every step of the way.Â
We can investigate, obtain medical records, make sure your claim is filed on time, and do everything that needs to be done to ensure you get all of the justice and compensation you’re entitled to.
Can A Lawyer Help Me Determine Third-Party Damages?
If you believe a third party is responsible for your injury, a Washington D.C. workers’ comp attorney is here to help you determine how much compensation you might be owed.
This usually includes medical expenses, lost wages, and sometimes compensation for pain and suffering.
Determining medical expenses and lost wages is often simple and straightforward, but it can be challenging to figure out what kind of damages you’re entitled to for something more subjective, such as pain and suffering.
Our lawyers have been making these calculations for years and have the experience you need to help make sure you get the maximum recovery.
If you don’t hire experienced lawyers, you could end up leaving significant amounts of money on the table. While we understand money can’t solve everything, it can definitely help you get back on your feet and make sure you and your family are taken care of in the meantime.
Contact an Experienced Washington, D.C. Work Injury Attorney Today
If you or your loved one were hurt in a work injury accident, call Lightfoot Law, PLLC at (202) 919-5453 or contact us online for a free case evaluation.
If you qualify, a third-party claim could help you pay costs not covered by workers’ compensation. The Washington D.C. work injury attorneys at Lightfoot Law, PLLC, are available to answer your questions, help you recover, and get back to your best possible life.