AI workers compensation hearing prep coach

A workers compensation hearing is an informal hearing before a workers compensation judge (sometimes called a hearing officer), usually by video or phone, sometimes in person. You testify under oath about your injury, your daily limits, and your work history. The judge asks most of the questions, reviews your medical file, and may ask a vocational expert about jobs. The insurer's lawyer is usually there too. There is no jury. You get a written decision afterward, usually in weeks to a few months. The mock hearing room above lets you rehearse the question-and-answer rhythm before the real one. This is general information, not legal advice.

Most workers compensation hearings run 30 to 60 minutes, though it varies by case. The judge works through your medical history, your daily activities, and your past work, then may hear from a vocational expert if one is present. Short, specific answers about what you can and cannot do matter more than long explanations. Practice keeping answers under a minute.

Yes. You can bring a workers compensation attorney or representative, and witnesses who know your daily limits firsthand, such as a spouse or caregiver. Tell your hearing office ahead of time if a witness will attend, and tell witnesses to stick to what they personally see you do and struggle with each day.

Expect questions about your injury and treatment, what a typical day looks like, how long you can sit, stand, walk, and lift, how often you need to rest, and what happened when you tried light duty or a return to work. The judge may also ask about medications and side effects, and about the job you had when you were hurt. Answer in plain, concrete terms: what you do, how long it takes, and what forces you to stop. A one-minute opening statement framing your situation helps; the prep packet mode drafts one from your facts.

A vocational expert is a witness the judge calls to answer questions about jobs: what your past work required, and whether someone with your limits could do that work or other work. The judge asks the expert hypothetical questions based on your limits. You or your representative can ask the expert questions too, including whether the jobs they name actually exist in significant numbers. Prepare for the expert's questions with the hearing strategy mode.

Your medical records, treatment notes, test results, and imaging; the incident report from your employer; any independent medical exam (IME) report; statements from your treating doctors about what you can and cannot do; a record of medications and side effects; wage records; a work history with job duties and dates; and statements from people who see your daily limits. New evidence should reach the judge by the evidence deadline your hearing office sets. List what you have in the evidence section above; the packet turns it into a checklist.

An IME is an exam by a doctor chosen by the insurer, not your treating doctor, to give an opinion on your injury, your treatment, and what work you can do. The IME doctor's report often disagrees with your treating doctor, and the judge weighs both. Bring your treatment records and a list of your limits to the exam, answer in plain facts, and tell your treating doctor what happened right after. This is general information, not legal advice.

No. This tool prepares you for a hearing from the facts you enter: strategy, a prep packet, and mock practice. It does not assess your case, predict the outcome, or cite law. For a close case or if anything sensitive comes up, review with a licensed workers compensation attorney before the hearing.