Why we don't take every workers compensation case we can
I recently declined to represent someone who asked me to be his attorney. He had a recent injury where he fell on ice at work and hurt his knee. This was the same knee that he had surgery on four months prior. Normally that is a case I would take.
I rejected the case because he has had 12 prior claims, all with the same Chicago workers' compensation law firm. He has a wife that has had many workers' compensation claims and a son that has a few also.
I don't have any evidence that any of these cases aren't legitimate, although this caller didn't work in a heavy labor job so it certainly is unusual.
But when you have a relatively young guy (mid 40's) who seems to be making a career out of being a claimant and has a wife and son that appear to be doing the same, it doesn't pass my smell test.
It's similar to my son when he does his "Boy Crying Wolf" stunt and then has a real injury. All the faking doesn't make him look good when something legit happens. My son is seven by the way (and the love of my life) so I can excuse his behavior.
This guy will certainly find an attorney and to be honest I hope the insurance company fights him on this one. Guys like this, in my opinion, make the great majority of credible claims look bad.
This is also why we don't file cases for finger sprains or other meaningless injuries. Who you represent is a reflection on you as an attorney and by extension a reflection on your other clients. If a lawyer gets a rep for filing bogus claims, that will cause insurance adjusters and Arbitrators to really scrutinize all of their cases.
I recognize that there is no way for you as the worker to know this about your lawyer before you hire them, but if you get the feeling they are sleazy then they probably are.
We are workers' compensation attorneys that help people with Illinois work injuries anywhere in IL via our statewide network of attorneys. Contact us and we will answer your questions or find the right lawyer for your situation.
