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Before you sign with a workers' compensation attorney, interview him or her.  Some people go to their local workers' compensation hearing location and talk to other injured workers for a referral.  Call any injured worker groups in your state and ask them for a referral.  The PFIW has panel attorneys that have been interviewed by our local Chapters, to make sure they are good qualified attorneys, and referrals can come from each Chapter.

Ask if he/she only represents injured workers.  Never hire an attorney that does work for employers or insurance companies.  This is a clear conflict of interest.

Ask if the attorney will initially pay for the cost of any depositions you may need.  Most IME or physician depositions cost a significant amount of money ($3,000 - $9,000) and would be impossible for you to come up with.  This cost is, most of the time, reimbursed to the attorney whether or not you prevail in the litigation.

It is important that you know exactly what is going on in your workers' compensation claim.  Ask the perspective attorney if he/she will send you copies of all correspondence pertaining to your claim.  The attorney may be working on several claims at once and all will be at different stages.  It is your job to make sure your attorney has all the facts about your claim correct.

During the hearing process for your claim bills may start to pile up.  Ask the perspective attorney if he/she will help to shelter you from the bill collectors.

The most excepted attorney fee for workers' compensation is 20% of your benefit income.  Ask the perspective attorney if he/she will take your case for less then the normal 20% or ask to have a cap for your legal fees of 250 weeks.

After you have explained what has transpired in your claim up-to-date ask the perspective attorney what would be his/her plan of action will be to help you establish your claim.  Find out if they will pursue penalty petitions and recover attorney fees when you prevail on a petition.  You do not want someone who will not just sit back and allow your employer/insurer to harass you without action.

Ask the perspective attorney how far in the court system will they pursue your claim.  Some cases must go to the Supreme Court to prevail.  You need an attorney that is there for the long haul.

If your injury claim is being denied by your employer you will need a source of income to get you through the long hearing process it will take for the PA Bureau of Workers Compensation to acknowledge your injury claim.  Ask the perspective attorney if he/she will help you establish a Social Security Disability Claim.  (Note: Some attorneys charge a separate fee for the help with Social Security Disability filings, some include it as part of the legal service for workers' compensation.)

Find out what the perspective attorney does outside of his/her practice to support injured workers.  Ask if he/she are a member of Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association (PTLA) and a LAWPAC contributor. Find out if they give seminars on workers' compensation.

Most good attorneys has a rating for the field of practice.  It is called a Martindale Hubbell rating.  (This will tell you how good they are in the field of practice they pursue).  Note:  Not all attorneys are rated by Martindale-Hubbell.