Is an employee required to obtain legal representation to pursue a workers compensation case?
A. You are not required to have legal representation to pursue a workers’ compensation case. However, when the employer contests the case and a settlement agreement cannot be reached at a conference level, the case will proceed to a full evidentiary hearing in front of an administrative law judge. In many instances, due to the technical legal matters involved with an evidentiary hearing, especially in regard to medical and causation issues, and issues of proof, many individuals decide to hire an attorney to represent them at the evidentiary hearing. Before the law changed in Missouri, an administrative law judge could suggest that an attorney is needed in the case, however the Legislature passed several new laws no longer allowing ALJ’s (administrative law judge) to give injured workers legal advice such as recommending that they hire an attorney. If an employee is not familiar with obtaining the services of a lawyer, the employee may contact the Missouri Lawyer Referral Service. The o
