Hiring an attorney to assist you with an Arizona workers' compensation issue isn't difficult – just look in the phone book, right? Wrong. Hiring the right attorney – one who knows both the workers' compensation system and the traditional court system in Arizona – may require a bit more effort, but it will pay off in the end.

What questions should an injured person ask an Arizona worker’s compensation attorney before they hire them?

We asked Charles Surrano, an Arizona attorney and member of the Advocate Law Group network with 30 years experience who specializes in bad faith litigation, and disability claims against insurance companies, to provide consumers with some questions to ask before hiring a worker’s compensation attorney in Arizona. Here's what he said, "Some good questions to start with are:

• Have you done any of these cases before?
• How long have you been doing bad faith?
• What are your credentials in this area?
• What are your sources of referral?

For example, a great number of my cases come from workers' compensation attorneys that say, 'I don't do bad faith, but Charlie does, so we'll send you over to Charlie.' I think those kind of referrals are usually a fairly good endorsement of an attorney as being a recognized specialist."

Get what you're entitled to

It's important to get what you're entitled to in any claim you file, but especially in a workers' compensation situation in Arizona. However, some Arizona attorneys limit their practices to the administrative hearings and that can limit the amount that you're entitled to. Surrano provided these warnings,

Some attorneys mix it up. They'll have one or two claimant cases and they'll have 50 cases for insurance companies. You might not want to use someone like that if you're the claimant. It's been my experience that a lot of attorneys that represent insurers in bad faith cases can't make too much of a name for themselves by prosecuting plaintiff's bad faith cases because then they lose all of the insurance company's business. They play it a little too conservatively on their plaintiff cases because they don't want to rock their defense boat.

Experience matters – especially in Arizona

Experience matters when it comes to hiring an attorney in Arizona; someone with a good track record in the industry is likely to better serve your interests. Surrano continued, "Having tried bad faith cases and being recognized as someone who focuses his practice in that area, I think it's important to ask:

• Does the attorney you're talking to regularly speak as seminars?
• Is he or she recognized as an author?
• Is he or she rated highly in law reference books like Martindale Hubbell?

By asking those questions, you'll get an idea of how much the attorney knows about bad faith, how many cases he or she handles and whether or not his or her practice's primary focus is centered on bad faith cases."

If you've been denied valid workers' compensation benefits in Arizona, contact an attorney whose practice focuses in this area of law to confidentially review your case. Click here, for a free consultation with an Arizona workers comp attorney.