Non-Litigation Workers’ Compensation Counseling

Experienced Workers’ Comp Attorney Spencer Aldrich and Zachary Brunot are here to counsel, educate, and advise where legal representation is not applicable.

Workers' Comp » Oregon Workers’ Comp Attorney Consultation

Who This Workers’ Comp Consultation Is For

This paid consultation is for injured Oregon workers who have questions about a workers’ compensation claim but may not need full legal representation yet.

Your claim was accepted, but you do not understand what happens next.
The insurance company sent you a letter, form or notice that does not make sense.
You have been asked to give a recorded statement.
You have an independent medical examination, or IME, scheduled and want to understand what to expect.
You want a lawyer to review your claim file, medical records or settlement paperwork.
Your time-loss checks, medical treatment or claim status feel confusing.
You want an attorney to explain the Oregon workers’ compensation process in plain language.

If your claim has already been denied, your benefits stopped, your treatment was refused or your claim was closed too soon, start with our Oregon workers’ compensation lawyer for denied and disputed claims page instead.

What This Consultation Can Help You Understand

Oregon workers’ compensation claims can be confusing even when nothing has been formally denied. Information often flows from the insurance company to the injured worker, but workers do not always get a clear explanation of what the letter, form, medical report or claim decision actually means.

A limited-scope consultation gives you time with an Oregon workers’ compensation attorney who can answer questions, explain the process and help you understand what may happen next.

During the consultation, you can ask about issues such as:

Where your claim stands in the Oregon workers’ compensation process
What a claim letter, insurer form or medical report means
Whether you should be concerned about an upcoming IME
How to prepare for a recorded statement
What documents may matter in your claim file
How time-loss benefits generally work
What to watch for before signing settlement paperwork
Whether your situation may need full legal representation instead of limited-scope counseling

How Much Will This Cost Me?

How we get paid: Lawyers that represent injured workers (“Claimants’ attorneys”) within Oregon are highly regulated by the applicable statutes and administrative rules. Claimants’ attorneys usually get paid one of two ways when there is a dispute:

1) Assessed fee: if your attorney is instrumental in obtaining benefits for you through litigation of your claim, such as overturning a claim denial, or increasing your benefits, they get paid an “assessed fee.” An assessed fee is a fee that the insurance company is ordered to pay your attorney by the judge.

2) Contingency fee: the reality is that an overwhelming majority of legal disputes settle prior to litigation. Oregon workers’ compensation is no different. If your attorney helps you settle your workers’ compensation claim, they will get paid a contingency fee—i.e., a percentage of your total settlement amount. Currently, as of 2006, the administrative rules specify that Claimant’s attorneys are to be paid 25% of the first $50,000.00, and then only 10% of any settlement proceeds in excess of $50,000.00.

Non-Litigation Workers’ Compensation Consulting

The above fee structure provides an incentive for Claimants’ attorneys to involve time and resources where litigation is active or on the horizon. However, you may have questions about your workers’ compensation matter even though nothing has been denied by the insurance company and everything seems to be going “OK.”

We know that workers’ compensation claims in Oregon can be very complicated and it’s easy to get confused and frustrated by the insurance company, or the system, or all of it. It’s natural to have questions and to want the opinion of someone who is working for you with the knowledge and expertise to help demystify the process for you and advocate on your behalf.

Oftentimes information in a workers’ compensation claim flows in one direction—from the insurance company to you. At Aldrich & Brunot, we pride ourselves on providing our clients compassionate advice, counsel, and education.

How Non-Litigation Workers’ Compensation Consulting works:

How to Start: Click [here] to contact us and start the process. We will respond quickly to get some basic information and get an initial meeting scheduled.
Cost: The initial meeting, up to one (1) hour, is $200.

Initial Meeting: At the initial meeting the attorney will provide any counseling, education, or advice you might need:
- Perhaps you are looking for an overview of this system, and where your matter stands within it?
- Perhaps you are curious what comes next, and how you might prepare for it?
- Did the insurance company send you a communication that you don’t quite understand?
- Do you have questions about a “recorded statement” that the insurance company says you have to participate in?
- Are you being forced to go to an independent medical examination (“IME”) and you are not sure what that is or how it will go or how you should behave?
- Maybe you just want someone experienced to look over your file and set your mind at ease that you haven’t been taken advantage of?
Beyond the Initial Meeting: If a client wants to continue non-litigation counseling beyond the first meeting, the attorney will charge based on their individual hourly rate, in increments of 1/10th of an hour.

Important things to know:

This is only for non-litigation matters: This service is intended to be used in situations where the client doesn’t think anything has gone wrong with their claim. They simply want expert advice, and the opportunity to have questions answered about the Workers’ Compensation system and their matter.
This is a “Limited Scope” representation: The purpose of this service is to answer the client’s questions, educate, and counsel them about the workers’ compensation system as a whole and about their claim in general under the assumption that there is not a current need for litigation. Aldrich & Brunot will not be advocating for or representing the client before any applicable body—i.e., the insurance company or the Workers’ Compensation Board or Workers’ Compensation Division.
What if there ends up actually being something wrong with my workers’ compensation claim that calls for litigation? It’s possible that during the initial meeting it will become apparent that there actually is some element of a client’s workers’ compensation matter that does need to be litigated. If that happens, the initial meeting will simply flow into a litigation-based consultation. If the client and Aldrich & Brunot agree on representation, a board-approved workers’ compensation litigation retainer will be signed and traditional representation will proceed.A client will not be charged if the “non-litigation” initial meeting ends up being a litigation consult.
Documents: If a client wants Aldrich & Brunot to review documents, it is the client’s responsibility to provide those documents. The client should know that this may involve reaching out to their workers’ compensation insurer to request copies of documents and/or their whole claim file.

Frequently Asked Questions About Workers’ Comp Consultations

Is this the same as hiring Aldrich & Brunot for my workers’ comp case?

No. This is a limited-scope consultation for workers who need advice, education or document review before a formal dispute starts. If the claim needs litigation, Aldrich & Brunot can discuss whether full representation makes sense.

What can I ask about during the consultation?

You can ask about claim status, insurer letters, IMEs, recorded statements, medical records, time-loss benefits, settlement paperwork or what to expect next in the Oregon workers’ compensation process.

What should I bring to the consultation?

Bring any letters from the insurer, claim forms, medical records, work restriction notes, IME notices, payment records and settlement documents. If you want the attorney to review your claim file, you may need to request a copy from the insurer.

What if my claim has already been denied?

If your claim has been denied, the issue may need full workers’ compensation representation instead of limited-scope counseling. Aldrich & Brunot can review the situation and explain the next step.

Do I have to keep working with the attorney after the first meeting?

No. Some workers only need a one-hour consultation. If you want more limited-scope counseling after the first meeting, the attorney can explain the hourly rate and how additional time would be billed.

Will the attorney talk to the insurance company for me?

Not as part of the standard limited-scope consultation. This service is meant to advise, educate and answer questions. If you need Aldrich & Brunot to represent you before the insurer or another workers’ compensation body, a separate representation agreement would be required.

Book a Workers’ Comp Claim Review

If you are confused about your Oregon workers’ compensation claim, an insurer letter, an IME, a recorded statement, a settlement offer or what happens next, Aldrich & Brunot can help you understand the situation.

Schedule a limited-scope workers’ compensation consultation with a Portland workers’ comp attorney.

Contact Aldrich & Brunot to book your claim review.

You can also call (503) 536-1737.

Important things to know:

Speak with Spencer from Aldrich & Brunot about your claim by clicking below.

Non-Litigation Workers’ Compensation Counseling

Who This Workers’ Comp Consultation Is For

What This Consultation Can Help You Understand

How Much Will This Cost Me?

Non-Litigation Workers’ Compensation Consulting

How Non-Litigation Workers’ Compensation Consulting works:

Important things to know:

Frequently Asked Questions About Workers’ Comp Consultations

Is this the same as hiring Aldrich & Brunot for my workers’ comp case?

What can I ask about during the consultation?

What should I bring to the consultation?

What if my claim has already been denied?

Do I have to keep working with the attorney after the first meeting?

Will the attorney talk to the insurance company for me?

Book a Workers’ Comp Claim Review

Aldrich & Brunot, LLC