Grand Rapids Workers' Compensation Attorneys

Over 50 Years of Combined Experience Fighting for Injured Michigan Workers

When you’re injured on the job, you may be entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim for medical expenses, lost wages, and vocational rehabilitation. The problem is that employers and insurance companies routinely deny claims, underpay benefits, or cut them off before you’ve fully recovered. They’re protecting their bottom line. We’re here to protect yours.

At Tanis Schultz, we represent injured workers across Grand Rapids and the entire state of Michigan. Our team handles initial claims, terminated benefits, denied claims, and appeals. When you work with us, you’re not handed off to a single attorney and left to hope for the best. Every case draws on the combined resources of multiple attorneys with a litigation history against major corporations, government institutions, and large insurance companies. Michigan workers’ compensation operates under a no-fault system, meaning you don’t need to prove your employer was negligent to qualify for benefits. What matters is that the injury arose out of and in the course of employment.

Don’t wait to get started on your case. Call us at (616) 227-3737 or contact us online today.

How Michigan Workers’ Compensation Works

Most Michigan employers are required to maintain workers’ compensation coverage under the Michigan Workers’ Disability Compensation Act. Coverage applies whether the injury happened on the employer’s premises or while carrying out a work-related function offsite. It also extends to occupational diseases and conditions that employment contributes to, aggravates, or accelerates in a significant manner, not only acute traumatic injuries.

Two deadlines govern your right to pursue a claim. You must notify your employer within 90 days of the injury. The formal claim must be filed within two years. Missing either deadline can forfeit your right to benefits. For the first 28 days of treatment, your employer selects the treating physician. After that period, you have the right to switch to a physician of your own choosing.

Compensable injuries include, but are not limited to:

• Back injuries
• Hip injuries
• Knee injuries
• Shoulder injuries
• Leg injuries
• Neck injuries
• Brain injuries
• Cuts
• Tears
• Burns
• Repetitive stress injuries
• Carpal tunnel
• Hearing loss
• Vision loss

Workers’ compensation benefits aren’t available if the injury was self-inflicted, occurred during illegal activity, or happened outside the scope of employment. If you’re not sure whether your situation qualifies, reach out to our Grand Rapids workers’ comp attorneys. We can learn the details of your situation and walk you through your options.

What Michigan Workers’ Compensation Benefits Cover

The benefits available to an injured worker depend on the nature of the injury and what’s needed to support recovery.

You may be entitled to compensation for:

• Medical expenses: The employer is required to pay all reasonable and necessary treatment costs, prescriptions, and mileage to appointments.
• Lost wages: Under Michigan law, wage-loss benefits are calculated at 80% of your after-tax average weekly wage, subject to a state maximum, based on the highest 39 of the last 52 weeks worked.
• Vocational rehabilitation: If the injury prevents a return to prior employment, benefits may cover retraining costs.
• Specific-loss benefits: Certain permanent injuries may entitle you to specific-loss payments regardless of whether you’re still experiencing ongoing wage loss.
• Redemption settlements: A lump-sum redemption settlement can resolve a claim, but it closes the matter permanently, including future medical benefits. Consult an attorney before signing any redemption agreement.

Our team can review your medical records, pay stubs, and other documentation to assess the full value of your claim and make sure nothing is left on the table.

When Should I Hire a Grand Rapids Workers’ Comp Attorney?

After a work-related injury, notify your employer immediately and complete an accident report. Then contact Tanis Schultz. The earlier you bring us in, the better positioned you are to protect your claim.

Hiring a workers’ compensation attorney before signing any documents or speaking at length with a claims adjuster protects you from tactics designed to minimize or close your claim prematurely. Our attorneys work on a contingency basis, meaning you owe no fee unless benefits or a settlement are recovered. Attorney fees in Michigan workers’ comp cases are set by statute as a percentage of the recovery. We offer free consultations and same-day appointments, and we’re available after hours for workers who can’t step away during the workday.

Serving Injured Workers Across Grand Rapids & Michigan

At Tanis Schultz, we want you focused on your recovery, not on fighting an insurance company. We serve Grand Rapids and the entire state of Michigan, pursuing the compensation you may be entitled to under state law. If your benefits have been denied, underpaid, or cut off, we’re ready to act.

Related Reading: Michigan Workers’ Comp FAQs

Need help with workers’ comp? Contact us at (616) 227-3737.