Injured Workers Without Lawyers - A New Concern

A major decline in the participation of attorneys in workers' compensation claims has accelerated what is already a declining spiral in representation of injured workers. This downward swing, in a formerly recession proof industry, raises the concerns as to whether injured workers are now receiving adequate legal guidance.

Attorneys are joining the unemployment ranks in huge numbers. Last week marked the 10,000th attorney laid off from the major law firms in the last 15 months. The US government reports that over 20,000 lawyers are now unemployed. Sadden Arps announced an offer to it entire associate staff to take a year off at one-third pay. The incentive was valued at an average of $80,000.

The workers' compensation system nationally has been impacted by multiple facts that has accelerated an ongoing decline in the representation of injured workers. State systems have been dismantled, co-ordination of benefit issues and medical reimbursement issue have slowed the system and created a reluctancy in filing of claims. Economic issues exist as to whether costs exceed recovery to make claims viable to handle. Uncertainty exists as whether the claims and the demand for representation will bounce back.

The resulting problem is that injured workers will lack adequate formal representation. Injured workers without lawyers raises new concerns that will need to be addressed.