Injured Workers Deserve Personalized Legal Representation: How a Manhattan Workers’ Compensation Attorney Takes a Client-Centered Approach

You don’t have to navigate the New York workers’ compensation system alone if you were hurt at work in Manhattan. The Law Office of Michael J. McConnell is here for you and can take care of your case.

While you focus on recovering from your injuries, Manhattan workers’ compensation attorney Michael J. McConnell can pursue the full compensation that you deserve.

Contact Manhattan workers’ compensation lawyer Michael J. McConnell for a free consultation today.

Michael J. McConnell is a former prosecutor with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. Additionally, he spent over 5 years handling exclusively New York workers’ compensation claims for an insurance carrier with the bulk of his cases involving work-related accidents in Manhattan and the other boroughs of New York City.

At the Law Office of Michael J. McConnell, clients are more than just a “case” or a “file number.” Every injured worker will be treated with the compassion and care that they deserve.

This is why the Law Office of Michael J. McConnell is committed to these three core values to prioritize the client experience:

  1. Consistent contact with the client throughout their case. Nobody should go weeks let alone months without hearing from their lawyer.
  2. Clear direction and advice. The workers’ compensation system in New York is complicated. There is no other way to say it. But a lawyer must be able to bring some clarity to the process, which starts with clear and direct communication.
  3. Compassionate legal representation. Every client is unique and special. A lawyer must tailor their approach to the individual client’s needs, which requires meeting them where they are without judgment.

If you were hurt at work in Manhattan and would like to speak with attorney Michael J. McConnell to find out whether he can help you win your case, contact the office right now for a free consultation.

This can be done in person, over the phone, or by video at a time that is most convenient for you – including nights or weekends.

Call (914) 810-0510 or email info@mcconnellinjurylaw.com.

Work-Related Injuries in New York City

Countless workers get hurt each day in the city. These injuries could range from strains and sprains all the way to catastrophic injuries or even death.

The following list includes just a handful of the types of injuries or conditions that could be covered by workers’ compensation:

  • Rotator cuff tears
  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Meniscus Tears
  • Concussions
  • Bulging discs
  • Fractures
  • Sprains and strains
  • Dislocations
  • Back pain
  • Neck pain
  • Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Amputations
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Paralysis
  • Cancer
  • Death

If you suffered one of these injuries at work or had a different type of injury and need help determining whether it might be covered, please contact the Law Office of Michael J. McConnell for a free case evaluation.

Types of Jobs that Might Qualify for Workers’ Compensation in Manhattan

Most jobs with very limited exceptions are eligible for workers’ compensation in Manhattan. The following are representative of the types of jobs typically covered:

  • Construction
  • Healthcare – nurses, patient care services, etc.
  • MTA employees – bus drivers, subway conductors, train operators, etc.
  • Fast food workers
  • Restaurant staff – waitresses, waiters, hostesses, cooks, etc.   
  • Cleaners, janitors, custodians, maintenance
  • Package Delivery Drivers
  • Airport employees – baggage handlers, aircraft maintenance, food service
  • Truck drivers
  • Auto Service – mechanics, tire technicians, etc.
  • Casino employees
  • Security guards

Free Medical Care Paid by Workers’ Compensation

If you have a valid workers’ compensation case, you can get free medical care for the injury. The insurance company responsible for your claim will pay all of the bills related to necessary treatment.

Covered medical treatment can include but is not limited to:

  • Prescription medication
  • Doctor’s visits (including specialists such as orthopedists, neurologists, podiatrists, etc.)
  • X-rays, MRIs, and CT scans
  • Physical therapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Injections
  • Surgery

Some types of medical care require authorization from your insurance adjuster, but if they improperly deny the treatment there are ways to get that decision reversed depending on the facts of the case.

Finding a Workers’ Compensation Doctor in Manhattan

Injured workers can generally go to the doctor of their choice so long as the doctor is authorized by the Workers’ Compensation Board.

The one general exception to this is when an employer has a PPO. In those cases, the first 30 days of treatment must be within the PPO, but after that the injured worker can go to another doctor if they wish.

Temporary Disability Payments for Lost Wages in New York City

If you are missing time from work due to a work injury, you might be entitled to up to 2/3rds of your average weekly wage subject to a maximum limit set by New York State.

It is critical to have medical documentation from a doctor saying that you cannot work in order to get paid temporary disability.

The rate you get paid will depend on how disabled you are and how much you usually make. For example, if you are 100% temporarily disabled and had an average weekly wage of $1,500 prior to the accident, then you would get 2/3rds of that ($1,000/wk).

Since insurance companies exist to make a profit and therefore make less money for every dollar they pay on a claim, they sometimes look for ways to cut someone’s payments even though they still cannot work.

When this happens, it is important to come up with a strategy to fight back and seek the compensation that you deserve. One way of doing this is to request a hearing with the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board and ask a judge to direct the insurance company to pay you properly.

Injured Workers Can Get Medical Treatment Even After They Go Back to Work

Just because an injured worker goes back to work doesn’t mean their case is closed or cut off from further medical care. They can continue to get the care they need so long as it is appropriate, necessary, and related to their covered work accident.  

Maximizing Compensation for Permanent Impairment

It is important to realize that workers can be entitled to additional and sometimes significant compensation beyond just temporary disability payments for lost wages and necessary medical care.

In cases where the injury results in some form of permanent impairment, an injured worker can get additional compensation.

Depending on which body part was injured and the severity of the injury, they can be eligible for:

If you have an injury or condition that you believe might be permanent, you are encouraged to contact the Law Office of Michael J. McConnell for a free case assessment.

Lump Sum Settlement of a Workers’ Compensation Case in Manhattan

It is possible to settle your workers’ compensation case for a lump sum. The amount you can get depends on a number of factors, including but not limited to the:

  • Severity of the injury
  • Average weekly wage of the injured worker
  • Amount of future medical care that is reasonably anticipated
  • Overall strength of the case and likely outcome of future litigation

In addition to those basic factors, the timing of settlement can be important as well, which is something a skilled Manhattan workers’ compensation attorney can help an injured worker better understand based on the particular facts of their case.

Of course, a settlement of your workers’ compensation case does take a “meeting of the minds” so to speak. It is, after all, a negotiated agreement between the injured worker and the insurance company where the injured worker gets paid a lump sum in order to close out their claim for good.

This means that settlement can be a little bit of a give and take. With that said, there are always steps that can be taken to maximize leverage, which can in turn increase the value of the settlement.

Additionally, it is possible to settle only part of your claim as opposed to closing it out completely. For example, sometimes an injured worker may wish to settle the indemnity part of their case while leaving the claim open for future medical care. This is sometimes a sensible strategy in cases where the amount of future medical care is truly uncertain and/or the insurance company refuses to offer a fair amount for the future medical portion of the settlement.

Hiring a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Costs Nothing Up Front and They Only Get Paid if They Win Compensation for You

Workers’ compensation attorneys in Manhattan work on a contingency fee basis. This means they only get paid after they get compensation for the injured worker.

This means injured workers do not need to pay a fee just to hire a lawyer and have them take the case. The contingency fee is great for workers because it allows greater access to justice by allowing them to get a good attorney of their choice regardless of their income or socio-economic status.

Additionally, because the lawyer only gets a certain percentage of an award in a workers’ compensation case (generally 15% or less), the lawyer has a tremendous financial incentive to maximize the value of the case.

Free Consultation with Manhattan Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Michael J. McConnell.

Schedule your free consultation now if you’ve been hurt at work anywhere in Manhattan, including:

  • Midtown
  • Upper East Side
  • Upper West Side
  • Harlem
  • Washington Heights
  • Downtown or Lower Manhattan (Financial District, SoHo, Tribeca, Chinatown, Lower East Side)
  • Grand Central Terminal