Meet Michael “Mike” Bodik
Michael Bodik is a Florida workers’ compensation attorney at Farah and Farah in West Palm Beach. An absolute shot-caller when it comes to fighting for injured workers, Mike Bodik has years of experience leading entire workers’ compensation departments at multiple firms. His gregarious and outgoing personality helps him to connect with his clients on a deeply personal level and yet at the same time gives him the fire needed to go toe-to-toe with commercial giants and win, over and over again.
What It All Comes Down To Is, People Matter To Us
When I first came into Farah and Farah, the first thing I found was that everyone is super professional from the top down. Both Eddie and Chuck are the real deal, they are honorable, and they are also top notch attorneys. This is a family business that is set up so well to handle all the different cases that come through our door. I remember actually being blown away by everything we have here.
From the attorneys, to paralegals, case managers, legal assistants, and even support staff like HR, recruiting, training, and accounting experts to make sure our entire organization is running smoothly. If I have any questions or need help from any member of the team, everyone always responds quickly, they are friendly, and they are professional in helping me get a solution.
Our entire firm was tailored by Eddie and Chuck to be the best resource possible for the injured. That’s because people matter to all of us. This is a firm that flat-out cares about people. Both inside and out, people come first. That level of support at a very human level is just one of the reasons why we continue to be so successful for our clients.
My Entire Career Has Been Spent Mastering Workers’ Compensation
Right out of school, I went straight into practicing workers’ compensation law and haven’t stopped for many years now. That means I’ve help thousands of injured workers through some really tough situations. I love that I get to learn all the nuances of these different industries. Learning how they work, how they’re paid, and how they do their day-to-day is a tremendous asset to what I do. I’ve helped workers from all walks of life. Everything from construction injuries, roofers, landscapers, plumbers, truck drivers, nursing home CNAs, retail employees, migrant workers, paralegals, and just about every major box store you can think of—just to name a few.
I’m always expanding my knowledge in all the different aspects of workers’ compensation law and always learning some new piece of information I can use to advance my clients case as quickly as possible. Workers’ compensation cases are notorious for how difficult they can be to navigate without really solid representation. It’s satisfying to know I helped change people’s lives in a positive way and to get them through something that I know how to do well.
I’ve Done Well When My Clients Refer Me to Their Own Friends & Family
As attorneys, we are called counselors. We are in a position to help give someone the understanding that it’s going to be okay, they will get through it, and they are not alone. My clients have often had a very traumatic issue. For many, this is the first time they’ve ever been involved in an accident. They are stressed, feel isolated, alone, worried, and really need someone to counsel them through this. I believe, in our position, we are not just counselors of law, but many times on a personal level, as well. Empathizing and understanding is critical to success in this field. I help my clients see there will be a conclusion, that there will be light at the end.
We are also a service industry, which simply means we provide a service and are compensated for it just like any other business. In my many years practicing law, I’ve come to learn that the very best advertising we have is a happy client. Clients with a positive experience tell their family and friends that I’m honest and hardworking and got them a successful resolution. When you have a stamp of approval from a prior client then the people they’ve referred are more comfortable trusting me to represent them too.
I’ve had the pleasure of representing a lot of friends and relatives of clients or even the same client multiple times. In fact, a large amount of my cases have been people referred directly to me from someone I’ve helped in the past. A case that will always stick with me was with a young plumber in his early 30’s. He was hurt on the job and needed back surgeries. Well, the surgeries failed and he was left needing almost constant care. He went from making great money and living on his own to having to move back in with his mom so she could take care of him. When I took up his case, he was not doing well mentally, was really depressed and even had talks of suicide. I knew the stakes were really high here so I worked hard to get him through treatment and ultimately get a settlement check. He was very grateful but after that final hand-off of his check I didn’t hear from him again for nearly 20 years.
After all that time, I’d since switched law firms but somehow he tracked me down and was waiting for me outside my office one day. He told me he was doing well financially and had a family now and again thanked me for my help before turning to the young lady with him. He introduced me to his daughter and explained she had been in an accident. He knew they needed legal help and said there was only one person who he trusted to take on his daughter’s case—me. It was incredibly humbling and gratifying to have that level of trust from a former client that he would consider me his family’s counselor for life.
Leading the Firm’s Presence in West Palm Beach, FL
I was specifically hired at Farah and Farah to help spearhead the firm’s presence here in Southeast Florida. Because of my many years of experience here, I’m fairly established. I already know the doctors and different specialists that can really help improve my clients’ recovery and I’m able to hire and train an effective local team. So whether you’re in Palm Beach County, St. Lucie, Martin, or even south to Broward, Dade, or the Florida Keys, this office has been tailored to expertly manage your workers’ compensation case.
If I’m not in the Farah and Farah office in West Palm Beach, you can probably find me watching just about any sporting event with the University of Florida because I’m an absolute UF fanatic (Go Gators!). I also love traveling to different football stadiums to see the action live and have been all over the country with my family. Another big part of my life outside of work is volunteering with the Friends of 440 Scholarship Fund. I’ve been on the Board of Directors for many years with this incredible organization that helps injured workers’ children go to college.
