Workers Compensation Attorney in St. Louis, Missouri

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Law Firm Overview

At the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann, located in St. Louis, Missouri and practicing throughout the State of Missouri, we exclusively work in the area of workers compensation and personal injury. When we take your case, we make recovering benefits for you our priority, and we put decades of experience, a proven record of success and a client focused approach behind your workers compensation or personal injury case.

At the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann, our attorneys will work with you, regardless of where you are in the process. Attorney James M. Hoffmann has spent a majority of his 15-year legal career dedicated to protecting the rights of injured workers.

When injured, you need answers and money quickly. You have bills to pay, a family to take care of, and a job to go back to. We will strive to resolve your claim quickly. Before leaving our firm after your first appointment, we will fully explain the legal process to you and will contact the insurance company. The majority of our workers’ compensation claims are well underway within the twenty-four hours.

Our attorney, James M. Hoffmann, works with employees from a wide range of industries to pursue the right benefits or to appeal a denial of your injury claim. We can help you access Missouri’s Second Injury Fund if you had a pre-existing injury or disability prior to your new injury.

The Missouri Workers Compensation system is not your friend. We can help you take the steps necessary to protect our rights and recover payment for lost wages, medical care for your injuries, or a settlement for permanent partial disability or permanent total disability should you not be able to return to work.

Year this Office was Established: 1993

Languages: English

Areas of Law

Areas of Law Description

The Law Office of James M. Hoffmann provides legal help on the following:

- Workers' Compensation

US employers and their employees rely on our dependable workers compensation system to resolve disputes about vocational injuries and disease and to provide for related worker needs. Workers compensation benefits are commonly awarded for work-related injury, illness and death, helping to meet the needs of injured workers and their families even when faced with overwhelming situations. In practice for over 15 years, Attorney James M. Hoffmann possesses extensive knowledge of work injuries and the workers comp system. He can assemble your initial claim for the best chance of approval for the injured worker to get you the proper medical care from the beginning. He will refer you to trusted, independent doctors and obtain qualified medical reports to get the insurance company, of if they still refuse, the administrative law judge, to cover your treatment.

- Workplace Injuries

Employees can suffer all kinds of injuries while working. In Mr. Hoffmann's 15 plus years of practicing workers compensation law, he has represented clients who have suffered all types of work-related injuries, from head, back and neck injuries to foot injuries. We explain the workers comp process to clients and can get involved at any state: initial application, resubmitting claims to insurance companies, or appealing a case to an administrative law judge or a higher court. Mr. Hoffmann has a broad knowledge of all types of work-related injuries and what your claim for disability or permanent injury is probably worth.

* Hand and Wrist Injuries

Hand and wrist injuries can be caused by a number of work related tasks. Employees who perform a range of activities over and over again while using the same arm are at risk of developing hand or wrist injuries. If you injure your hand or wrist while on the job, you may be entitled to workers compensation.

* Knee Injury

Knee injuries are a common work related injury. The knees provide flexibility and stability to the body. In order to perform these functions the knees contain bones, cartilage, muscles, ligaments and tendons. Any of these parts can be affected by a knee injury. The full extent of the injury to the knees may not be fully apparent until well after the accident has occurred.

* Shoulder Injury

Shoulder injuries in the workplace are fairly common. They typically occur from repetitive arm movements or heavy lifting. Employees that are required to do throwing or overhead work are especially at risk. You are eligible for workers compensation in Missouri if you have suffered a shoulder injury at work. You are entitled to receive prompt medical treatment and wage loss benefits if you are unable to work due to your injury.

* Back Injury

Employees can suffer many kinds of work related injuries. Back injuries are among some of the most common and can be some of the most painful and debilitating medical problems a person will ever have to experience. If you have suffered a back injury at work, you may need to be able to prove that it was caused by a task or accident while at work. It is important that you let your employer know immediately that an accident has occurred. They will get in contact with their workers compensation carrier and determine whether or not they will provide medical care.

* Neck Injury

Neck injuries in the workplace can involve a sudden pain while performing your duties on the job or may be a gradual buildup of pain over a period of time. Some neck injuries can be minor and will resolve themselves, with minor medical treatment, within a matter of months. Others are permanent and may require continual medical attention, such as physical therapy.

- Personal Injury

Personal injury law is a broad area. It is a legal term which refers to an injury to the body, mind or emotions. It is commonly associated with cases alleging that the person’s injury has been caused by the negligence or recklessness of another. The Personal Injury Lawyers at the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann have been effectively representing personal injury victims in Missouri for more than 20 years. We have a successful record of trying cases, mediating cases, arbitrating cases and obtaining settlements for injured victims.

* Dog Bite

“Man’s best friend” is a popular saying referring to a person’s relationship with their dog. However, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) claims that 4.7 million people are bitten by dogs each year. Approximately 800,000 seek medical attention due to their dog bite injuries, with half of these being children. More than 380,000 victims require emergency medical treatment. Between 2006 and 2008, there were 88 fatal dog attacks.

* Car Accident

Car accidents make up the majority of personal injury cases in the U.S. court system. These accidents happen for a number of reasons but the most common is driver negligence. Driving a car, or being a passenger in one, is one of the most dangerous things that you do on a regular basis.

* Truck Accident

They are called tractor trailers, 18 wheelers, semi’s, and big rigs. No matter the name, when a regular passenger vehicle collides with one of these types of trucks, the result is often catastrophic for those in the passenger vehicle. Most tractor trailers have two or three axles for the purpose of hauling heavy-duty materials. They can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds. The types of materials they can carry are numerous and may include fuel, hazardous chemicals, cement, logs, bulldozers, farm equipment, even other commercial trucks.

* Bus Accident

In October 2012 a Metro bus struck a passenger vehicle in North St. Louis. Several people were taken to the hospital due to injuries. Each year thousands of Americans are injured in bus accidents. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation over 20,000 people were injured in bus accidents in 2009, and over 250 were killed nationwide. Because of their size and weight they can be dangerous, especially when the accident involves a smaller passenger vehicle.

- Workers' Compensation Benefits

You do not have to be involved in a terrible accident to claim workers compensation benefits. Your injury could be a severe back strain from lifting a heavy object, a cumulative injury from repetitive tasks or an illness related to chemical exposure. At the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann, we will always take the time to explain the entire work comp process. We will help clients file the initial claim and represent them at all subsequent hearings. Together, we will work to secure the full benefits you deserve.

* Medical Care to Treat the Work Injury

This benefit includes all costs for authorized medical testing and treatment, prescriptions and medical devices. There are no deductibles or co-pays.

* Payment for Lost Wages

You may be eligible for temporary wage compensation in the form of a weekly check until the doctor says you are able to return to any form of work and not merely the job you were doing at the time of the accident. You may also be eligible for benefits if you return to work on light duty at less than full pay.

* Temporary Total Disability Benefits

If the treating doctor certifies that you are unable to work, you should be entitled to temporary total disability benefits under the Missouri Workers Compensation Law when you are off work.

* Permanent Partial Disability Benefits

If you are unable to return to work after your injury, you may be entitled to a settlement or payment for your permanent partial disability if you have permanent disability as a result of a covered accident or injury.

* Permanent Total Disability Benefits

If you are permanently and totally disabled from all types of employment, you may qualify for permanent total disability benefits under the Missouri Workers Compensation Law.

* Second Injury Fund Claims

The Second Injury Fund is designed to compensate an injured employee when a current work related injury combines with a prior disability to create an increased combined disability.

* Death Benefits

If the work injury or disease results in death, the workers' dependents may be entitled to a weekly check. The right to workers compensation death benefits is usually created by state laws and details of the program vary among the states.

* Third Party Claims

If you are injured on the job, you have an absolute right to workers compensation benefits. Workers Comp will not compensate you fully for your losses. However, you may also be able to get full compensation by pursuing a third party claim - a personal injury claim against someone other than your employer.

* Social Security Claims

Seriously injured workers should also consider applying for social security disability insurance or supplemental security income benefits and possibly disability retirement.

Attorneys

Mr. James M. Hoffmann Attorney Litigation, Motor Vehicles, Personal Injury, Workers Compensation, Workplace Injuries

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