If you were injured at work in Georgia, the legal system could help you seek the compensation you need to support yourself while healing. Workers' Compensation laws outline your rights as an employee and your employer's responsibilities in workplace injury cases. Who is Covered by Georgia's Workers' Compensation Law? Georgia's Workers' Compensation law covers all employers with over three employees. That means you'll be eligible for coverage, regardless of whether you're an employee, an independent contractor, or a subcontractor. You're also covered for any injuries sustained while on the clock—regardless of who was at fault for the injury. What Benefits are Available Under the Law? Under Georgia's Workers' Compensation law, injured employees are eligible for medical care, lost wages, and other benefits. Medical care covers all reasonable and necessary expenses related to the injury, including diagnostic tests, casts, crutches or a wheelchair, medications, surgery costs, and doctor's visits. Lost wages…

If you or a loved one sustains a work-related injury, you need the advice of an attorney to make sense of your available options. Generally, you have two potential ways to recover compensation for your injury. First, you can file a claim for workers' compensation. Second, you may be able to file a personal injury lawsuit to receive compensation. There are essential differences, limitations, and restrictions between the two options. This article will discuss both options available to you. What Is Workers' Compensation? You may think of workers' compensation as an insurance program to protect employees injured while at work. Work-related injuries are common throughout the country, and Georgia is no exception. In 2020, the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation processed 31,500 claims. Paid benefits for the year exceeded 706 million dollars. The Georgia Workers' Compensation mandatory insurance provisions exist to protect you while at work. As an employee,…

If you are injured on the job, you may be worried about how you will pay your medical bills and how you can afford to take the time off of work that you will require to heal. Thankfully, Georgia’s workers’ compensation program was designed to address these concerns and offset the financial burden on you and your family. What Is Workers’ Compensation? Workers’ compensation is a state program that financially assists workers who become injured on the job. The program provides benefits for medical and rehabilitative expenses and lost income caused by on-the-job injuries. Am I Eligible For Workers’ Compensation? The first thing you have to do to determine eligibility is to find out whether your employer is covered by Georgia’s workers’ compensation law. If your employer has three or more employees, they likely are required to hold workers’ compensation insurance. However, federal agencies, railroad carriers, farmworkers, and domestic servants…

If you sustained an injury or developed a health condition relating to your employment, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits under Georgia law. You may be eligible to receive coverage for your medical treatments as well as benefits to help you cover your bills when your injury limits your ability to work. Your employer does not have to be at fault for the injury or the condition. In fact, even a worker whose own actions contributed to the incident may still receive benefits. Job-related injuries The main requirement for coverage is that the injury or health condition stems from your job. For example, an injury may be covered if it occurs in the course of your employment; similarly, a condition should arise from job-related activities. Specifically, this includes injuries that happen while you are working. In Georgia, employment-sponsored activities such as company events or weekend retreats can also count…

If you sustain an injury on the job, you should be eligible to receive workers' compensation benefits. We present a brief outline of the benefits and the claims process to give you a general idea of what to expect. While some workers’ comp cases are simple and straightforward, others may involve complicated legal and medical issues. An attorney who handles work injury cases can address your specific situation. Basic requirements to file for workers’ comp To file a workers’ compensation claim, the injury or illness must be connected to your employment. This means the injuries happened on work premises or in the course of performing your work duties off-site. For example, a delivery driver who is injured in a traffic accident while making a delivery may still be eligible. You may qualify for benefits even if the accident happened because of your own oversight. However, workers who cause their own injury…

For many employees who get hurt on the job, workers' comp is critical to their survival. That is why it is important that they understand the process of seeking compensation for their work-related injuries. One of the essential aspects of workers' compensation is the variance between the different types of benefits. There are three main types that employees should be aware of. Temporary total disability As the name indicates, temporary total disability provides disability benefits on a temporary basis for those individuals who become completely disabled due to an injury. This benefit is available for various types of injuries, including: Paralysis Brain injury Limb amputation Neurological disorder Total blindness According to the workers' compensation regulations, these benefits may last for up to 400 weeks, unless the accident results in a catastrophic injury. Under this benefit, workers receive up to two-thirds of their working wage. Permanent partial disability For those individuals who…

Truckers face a unique set of risks when they go to work each day. Not only are they driving massive vehicles across long distances and along busy highways, but they also are required to do heavy lifting as they unload and reload trailers. As a result, there's always been a higher number of Central Georgia trucker injuries than in other careers and professions in the state. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that truckers suffer among the highest number of nonfatal injuries and work-related illnesses in the U.S. As a result, workers' compensation is likely to be something they need at some point during their career, and it's critical that they work with an expert legal professional in order to get their claims approved. Facts to Know About Workplace Safety for Truck Drivers The Bureau of Labor Statistics recently revealed data that proves that truckers are at a high risk of injuries while on the job.…

The Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation (the Board) oversees all matters related to workers' compensation injury claims in the state. Every year, the Board publishes new or updated regulations and guidelines for employees and employers who fall under the rules of coverage. This blog post answers some of the most frequent questions workers and employers have when facing a workers' compensation claim. Issues related to returning to work Q: Can a doctor order an injured worker back to work and what happens if the worker refuses? A: If the attending doctor signs off that the worker has obtained maximum medical recovery, the worker must make an attempt to return to work, even at reduced pay. However, a return to work order may be appealed in the event the injury or disability does not allow for adequate performance of the job tasks or the worker feels returning to work may…

On a website for recent arrivals to the United States, one piece of advice was, "Note that Americans obey traffic laws and traffic signals, and will expect you to, too." When you engage in a driving activity as simple as crossing an intersection, you must trust that others approaching the intersection will let you pass when it is your turn; the vast majority of the time that faith is justified. When it is not, however, the consequences can be lethal. This is shown by a recent two-car collision in Lithonia, when one vehicle ran a red light and struck another broadside, killing all three in the other vehicle. Aside from a charge of vehicular homicide, the surviving driver is also facing charges of driving while intoxicated and with hit-and-run. Aside from the criminal law implications, civil law liability can also be a possibility, through a wrongful death claim. One aspect…