The short answer is: because it's your job to convince the Alaska Workers Compensation Board, the insurance company's attorney and any attorney you are asking to represent you that you indeed have a work-related injury.
If you file a Claim with the Alaska Workers Compensation Board, then you need to obtain all of your medical records from all of your health care providers who treated you for your injury and you need to file a copy of the records with the Board. You also need to send a copy of them to the insurance adjuster or opposing counsel. You need to do this because it's your job to show that you have a work-related injury. You need to attach these records to the Board's form called a Medical Summary: wc6103 - Medical Summary. You need to keep a copy of the Medical Summary and the records you attached to it for your own records.
If you want to hire an attorney, the first question the attorney will have is: "Is this a work-related injury?" And the second question "What is the proof this is a work-related injury?" The answer is in the medical records.
It is the practice of most attorneys in Alaska to ask an injured worker who comes to them for representation to gather and provide all of the medical records relating to the treatment of the injury in question, and sometimes two years of prior medical records. That is so the attorney can determine whether this is a case he or she wants to accept.
So if you are sincere about asking an attorney to represent you, then you need to gather and provide him or her with all of the medical records relating to the treatment of the injury in question. Under the laws of the State of Alaska, you are entitled to them. All you have to do is call your providers and ask them for the records. Some of them will ask you to come in and sign a release.
Keenan Powell has practiced Workers Compensation law in the State of Alaska for more than 30 years and has dedicated her practice to Workers Compensation representing injured Alaskans for the past 9 years handling hundreds of cases. A sample of verdicts she has obtained for Employees is found at http://www.keenanpowell.com/settlements_wc.html.
There is absolutely no fee for a consultation, all consultations are free. If you want to set up a meeting, use the contact form on this website or call: 907 258 7663.