When the injured worker retains an attorney: the relationship between attorney involvement and case outcome.

1. A key to the successful rehabilitation of the injured worker is an understanding of the barriers to success and methods to overcome those barriers. 2. The purpose of this study was to determine whether a relationship exists between attorney involvement and case outcome in the nursing management of industrially injured workers. 3. This study found a strong relationship between attorney involvement and not returning to work and also between attorney involvement and interrupted case management. Attorney involvement may be considered as a factor when evaluating the potential and/or retrospective success of rehabilitative efforts.