When you've been injured on the job or during the course of work, you may be offered a settlement by your employer's insurance company. It may be tempting to accept that offer especially if you have medical bills and if the settlement offer seems generous to you. Despite these reasons it's good to speak with a worker's compensation attorney first before accepting that offer. Consider some reasons why.

1. That settlement offer may not be very generous after all

A settlement offer may seem very generous to you, but it might actually be very paltry in comparison to other cases similar to yours. A worker's compensation attorney is more familiar with the amount that is usually offered in cases like yours and may also know if you should be filing a suit against your employer for additional damages. Rather than be impressed with any offer, consult with an attorney so he or she can advise if you should actually be getting more money and a higher settlement, based on your injuries.

2. There may be other parties at fault

Suing your employer for an accident you've suffered at work may not be the end of the matter. You may be able to sue another driver that hit you while driving a company car, or a cleaning company that used a very slippery wax to clean your company's floors and which caused your accident. You may be able to sue the owner of the building in which you work if you slipped and fell in a common area.

Accepting a settlement offer from your employer's insurance company often doesn't end the matter and it would be shortsighted to assume that your employer is the only liable party. Talk to an attorney to have them review your case and see if there are other parties you might also sue.

3. You may face future medical expenses

Accepting a settlement offer typically means giving up your rights to having future medical expenses covered, but you may face complications and other medical bills down the road. This may include the need for physical therapy or future surgeries due to your injury. Accepting an offer now can leave you financially liable for these expenses, as your employer's health insurance company may refuse to pay for these costs.

These are just three reasons to always consult with a worker's compensation attorney if you've been injured in any capacity while on the job or during company time.