Unfortunately, he was intoxicated at the time of the accident. The widow of the deceased applied for compensation under a voluntary employee insurance policy and to the Social Insurance Institution (ZUS). She was refused in both cases. She then asked for help from Zbigniew Zawada, owner of Biuro RONIN, based in Bolesławiec at 12 Mickiewicza Street.
We are speaking with Zbigniew Zawada, owner of Biuro Ronin.
How did the widow come to your office?
She was referred by other clients.
Was the case she brought to you obvious and straightforward?
Definitely not. Above all, because the deceased husband had been intoxicated at the time of the accident. In addition, the employer did literally everything possible to avoid liability. However, given the special circumstances of the accident, we decided that burdening the widow and her minor children with the consequences of the accident and refusing to pay them the benefits due was simply unfair, and that this family had to be helped.
How did the case reach a successful conclusion?
During the appeal proceedings before the insurer providing the voluntary insurance, I personally handled the correspondence with the insurer, and we managed to obtain PLN 60,000 for the deceased's family. Obtaining the first amount as quickly as possible—it took us about two months—was very important, because after the accident the family was left practically without any means of support from one day to the next. Meanwhile, ZUS consistently refused to pay the one-off compensation. Our lawyers obtained a favorable ruling in the court of first instance. Naturally, ZUS filed an appeal, which fortunately was dismissed.
Despite the final judgment, ZUS did not pay the widow the benefit due, amounting to PLN 65,000, until the beginning of August. As in most of our cases, we covered the legal costs for the widow. Had we not done so, this family's right to compensation would not have been enforced, as the woman had no money to conduct the proceedings. I should add in passing that the case has not yet ended. The widow is currently awaiting the granting of pensions from ZUS. We have also applied to the employer for compensation for the widow and her children. We are awaiting the employer's response.
Would you like to draw our readers' attention to anything in particular?
If you have been involved in an accident, we always invite you to a meeting. You can also call, email, or contact us via the office website. The meeting, discussion, assessment of the case, and review of the documentation are always free of charge. There are no “catches.” If, after an accident, a client is unable to travel, it is always possible to arrange a home visit. Nothing can replace an open and honest conversation.
Would you like to add anything else?
Representatives of the “hyena” type, who offer the services of unknown law firms from distant cities at a cemetery or in a hospital, should be rejected first. If a “hyena” has no respect for an accident victim and their family, it is difficult to expect that, after signing a contract, the “hyena” and their principals will show respect to the victim and their family as clients. In my opinion, that is obvious.
Our office details:
Biuro Ronin
Zbigniew Zawada
12 Mickiewicza Street
59-700 Bolesławiec
tel./fax. +48 75 732 19 05
GSM: +48 502 378 958
GSM: +48 505 111 231
email: biuro.ronin@vp.pl
www.biuroronin.pl
www.facebook.com/biuroronin.odszkodowania
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