Charters Law

Congratulations to John Charters for being recognized with the distinguished honor of a Leader in Law Award by Michigan Lawyers Weekly! Mr. Charters has been specializing in workers’ compensation for over 50 years. Since 1995 Mr. Charters has been named yearly in The Best Lawyers in America for his knowledge and expertise in workers’ compensation, an honor bestowed upon him by his peers.

In Michigan, many employers, and their insurance carriers, look for ways to reduce workers’ compensation costs. Here are some of the most common tactics:

1. Delaying or Denying Claims
• Employers may delay reporting injuries to their insurance company, which slows down benefits.
• They might deny that the injury is work-related, arguing it happened off the job or is due to a pre-existing condition.
• Some employers try to pressure workers into using their own health insurance instead of filing a comp claim.

2. Misclassifying Employees or Jobs
• Employers sometimes classify workers as independent contractors to avoid responsibility for comp coverage.
• They may also misclassify jobs as “safer” than they really are, which lowers insurance premiums but leaves injured workers in a tougher spot when filing claims.

3. Forcing Workers Back Too Soon
• Employers and insurance carriers often send workers to “company doctors” who may downplay the injury and clear the employee to return before they are fully healed.
• Returning too early can worsen injuries and give the employer grounds to reduce or cut off benefits.

4. Surveillance and Intimidation
• Insurance companies sometimes hire private investigators to watch injured workers, hoping to catch them doing physical activities that can be used to argue they aren’t really disabled.

No one should have to fight this battle alone. Our office his here to help and provide guidance.

If you are injured at work, make sure to keep records and document everything. Save all medical records, accident reports, and written communication with your employer and insurance adjuster.

Our office can help guide you through the process of workers' compensation, even if we never end up having to file a case. We are here to help.

Call now to connect with business.