Legal Question in Workers Comp in New York

I am about to represent myself in my workers comp case

I am on my third w.c. attorney which the first two claim to be working in my favor however were not and my recent one I conducted more research and discovered he is a bankruptcy attorney.. I am about to represent myself do you think it would be a good idea. I was already offered an amount, however was not guide proper by previous attorneys. I am at my wits ends and I feel I can't trust another attorney with my case. I relocated from nyc to sc, I am a single mother of one son and I suffer from neck and back herniated disc, bulging disc and tears and now depression. What can i expect to receive for my settlement??


Asked on 6/18/08, 7:17 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys

Frank Cetero Cetero & Ghanayem

Re: I am about to represent myself in my workers comp case

Hello,

There is a unwritten rule in the comp world that once a person has three attorneys, no one will handle the case. So if you fire this attorney, the odds are you will be on your own and no one will halp yo in the future. It is very difficult to value a case without having all the facts. Generally, people with neck & back cases only recieve compensation for their lost time. After a person reaches maximum medical improvement, ie 2 years, that person can be classified perm. part. diabled if they have perm. disabiltiy. That usually means that you get a weekly benefit, while you are disabled and unable to work. I would be very careful in representing myself, becuase workers comp law is in a state of flux and your could really do irrevicable harm. Also, without an attorney it may take a long time before things get resolved. Should you move out of state, your case will continue. I'm sorry for your troubles and wish you the best of luck. One last thing, the judges harlem and brooklyn are among the worst, it may not be your attorneys fault.

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Answered on 6/18/08, 7:42 pm
Jason Kessler Law Offices of Jason B. Kessler, P.C.

Re: I am about to represent myself in my workers comp case

First, I agree with Mr. Cerito. It would be very tough to find another compensation attorney because you have two other firms with fee interests and you have some stigma in the compensation community.

However...

I would like some more information about this case. Did an IME doctor give you a no disability? Do you have any schedulable sites of injury? Has your doctor determined that you have reached maximum medical improvement?

Are your hearings located in Hauppauge? Or are you going to keep the hearings in Brooklyn or Manhattan? (Harlem). If you are planning on keeping your hearings in New York City, write me back. If not, I have two great firms in Long Island that I would like to recommend to you.

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Answered on 6/18/08, 8:33 pm


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