Suffering an injury at work can become two headaches.  There’s the injury and then there’s the claim process involving medical treatment, lost wages, forms and arguments.

Timothy D. Bartell, PC is a Fresno workers’ compensation practice that concentrates exclusively on California workers’ comp cases. Specialization is the primary reason why this firm stands out for the buyer this review is considering.

For a hurt Fresno worker with a contested or complex claim, the biggest advantages to this law office are its focus and local experience.

Timothy D. Bartell, PC

4.5 / 5

Verdict: A strong fit if you work in Fresno and are looking for a locally based lawyer that specializes in workers comp claims.

Scores are based on the evaluation of the firm’s public service information, outside professional records, public profile information and overall fit for the intended client.

Inside This Review

• Who Timothy D. Bartell, PC is for
• What the firm handles
• Why the Fresno focus matters
• How fees and consultations work
• What works and what doesn’t
• How it compares
• Final verdict

Who Timothy D. Bartell, PC Is For

Timothy D. Bartell is an active licensee who was admitted to the California bar in 2012 with State Bar number 284735. According to Timothy D. Bartell, PC’s State Bar of California attorney profile, the firm is located in Fresno, and Timothy D. Bartell’s self-reported areas of practice include workers’ compensation.

The firm makes the most sense when the legal problem is the workers’ compensation claim itself..

Claims Handled: Its claimed case areas include temporary and permanent disability, denied claims, repetitive trauma, construction accidents and industrial accidents. Additionally, the firm says that it handles cases for workers in the fields of construction, medical and caregivers, farming, law enforcement and security, trucking, factory and laborers, corrections, and city workers.

California’s Division of Workers’ Compensation guidance says workers are not required to have an attorney and that many claims resolve without problems, but legal help may be useful in a complex case. Bartell’s service is most relevant when a claim becomes disputed or complicated.

What The Firm Handles

The service page outlines more of a realistic claim-management role rather than strictly courtroom representation. It mentions Bartell will help with filing, medical records, correspondence with insurance carriers and employers, settlement negotiations, hearings and appeals.

Denied, delayed and disputed claims

A claim can be denied and that is not necessarily the final determination. The firm advertises that they will represent denied claims and appeals. They also represent claims that are impacted by challenges to documentation or the connection of an injury to the job.

The distinction that matters is what goes on behind that representation. The firm explains managing evidence, deadlines, talking to insurers and going to hearings that can come into play when a claim isn’t progressing.

Repetitive trauma

Not all injuries occur due to a single incident at work. Bartell represents clients with repetitive or cumulative trauma claims. In these cases there may be a need to establish through documentation the connection between the work performed and the gradually developed condition.

They characterize these cases as revolving around medical records and proof that the condition is related to work duties.

Why The Fresno Focus Matters

The local angle is specific enough to be useful.

The attorney explains that Bartell knows Fresno claim procedures, doctors, defense attorneys and judges. Fresno even has its own state workers’ compensation district office. The California DWC Fresno office has an Information and Assistance Unit as well as a Disability Evaluation Unit. They also conduct workers’ comp court hearings in Fresno.

Local familiarity is not a guaranteed result, but it makes the service proposition clearer for a Fresno worker who wants locally focused representation.

The firm also prides itself on handling matters personally.  That can appeal to someone who prefers direct involvement from the named attorney instead of a larger multi-attorney operation.

How Fees And Consultations Work

The company says there is no charge for the initial consultation and that there is no up-front fee paid to the attorney. The website says the firm works on a contingency fee basis and “you only pay us if we recover compensation for you.”

California’s workers’ compensation regulations have an important caveat. According to the Division of Workers’ Compensation guidebook, it explains that an injured worker does not pay an attorney right away. The fee is generally taken from benefits later and must be approved by a workers’ compensation judge.

The practical significance to a prospective client is that there are no attorney fees up front. That should not be construed to mean that the representation is free.

What Works And What Doesn’t

What works

• Targeted experience:  Bartell has been licensed in California since 2012 and concentrates his published practice on workers’ compensation.
  • Dealing with Denied Claims
  • Disability problems
  • Repetitive trauma cases
  • Construction or industrial injuries
• Local based: Fresno based company centered around the Central Valley workforce.
• No upfront attorney fee. The firm says they will review your case for free. They also state they work on a contingency basis. California law states that workers’ comp attorney fees must be approved by the judge.

What doesn’t

• Limited practice area: While it can be beneficial to hire someone who specializes in workers’ comp cases, an attorney with this focus can be of limited use if your primary need is for representation in an unrelated personal-injury lawsuit or employment-law matter.
• Small-practice model: The pitch of the firm is personal Bartell involvement rather than dozens of attorneys working on your case. If you want that, great! But if you are looking for a big, bustling multi-lawyer law firm, you might want to look elsewhere.

How It Compares

You might be drawn to a larger workers’ compensation firm if you want a wider pool of attorneys and staff members. If you need advice about another legal matter in addition to workers’ comp, you may want to pick a practice that handles that area too.

The trade-off is focus versus breadth.

Bartell’s public profiles support that specialty. His Avvo page says workers’ compensation makes up 100% of the practice areas displayed there and it lists the same year of admission for California. Avvo does not have any reviews from clients at this time so we did not reference Avvo’s numeric rating of the lawyer.

Final Verdict

The easiest way to describe Timothy D. Bartell, PC is in terms of who it can best serve: an injured worker in Fresno or the Central Valley who has a workers’ compensation claim that has grown complicated enough that you would benefit from professional representation.

Bartell has been licensed in California since 2012, the firm is locally based, and workers’ compensation is the stated practice focus.

Restrictions lie mostly with fit. This is not marketed as a do-all law firm, and the personal-lawyer model will not mesh with the person looking for a big block of attorneys.

If your workers compensation claim has been denied, delayed or is just sticky, Timothy D. Bartell, PC can help. Timothy D. Bartell, PC is a Fresno-based practice and it focuses on workers compensation. The firm advertises no upfront attorney fee as it works on a contingency basis.