As an injured worker, you have the right to be represented by an attorney or a licensed representative of your choosing. The New York State Bar Association and the Injured Workers' Bar Association provide tools on their websites to help you find a lawyer near you who practices workers' compensation law. The Board licenses non-attorneys to represent claimants in workers' compensation claims.Licensed representatives must pass an examination to demonstrate knowledge of the Workers' Compensation Law and Board rules and regulations.

• New York State Bar Association
• Injured Workers' Bar Association
• Listing of Licensed Claimant Representatives

Your attorney or licensed representative may not charge you directly for work. If there is a money award in your case, your representative may ask for a legal fee, which must be approved by the Board. Any legal fee will be deducted from your award and will be paid directly to your attorney or licensed representative by the insurance carrier.

If you are an injured worker with a "medical-only" case or issue (one that does not involve any financial compensation for lost wages or permanent injury), you may be able to get free legal representation through the Injured Workers Legal Assistance Project.

Disclaimer:

The New York Workers' Compensation Board (Board) does not recommend particular lawyers or licensed representatives, nor does the Board endorse the Injured Workers' Bar Association (IWBA), the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), any of the NYSBA affiliates, the attorneys listed on their websites, or any of the websites' content.

The Board is not a lawyer referral service, and no attorney-client or confidential relationship is or should be formed by use of the Board site, the IWBA site, or the NYSBA site.

The WCB has made no investigation into the particular abilities of any attorney to handle any legal matter. The WCB makes no warranties or representations about the attorney's ability to handle any legal matter.

Before employing an attorney or licensed representative, you should interview them and make whatever investigation you feel is appropriate into their qualifications to handle your legal matter.