Under workers’ compensation, employees are covered for any work-related injuries they might suffer while employers are protected from any lawsuits that may result from workplace accidents. Workers’ comp laws mandate businesses and companies that employ three or more workers to carry workers’ comp insurance.
Eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits depends on various factors, one of which is prompt reporting of the workplace injury. Reporting a work-related injury in Lawrenceville, GA in time allows your employer to investigate your injury and file a report with their insurance carrier for timely compensation.
At Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition in Lawrenceville, we can help protect your right to receiving monetary benefits for a workplace injury by ensuring that you report your injury in time and file the necessary paperwork. Call us today at 470-518-5026
to schedule a free legal consultation with one of our Lawrenceville workers’ compensation lawyers.
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How Long Do I Have in Reporting a Workplace Injury in Lawrenceville Georgia?
Employees who get injured while on the clock are advised to report their injury to the concerned person immediately the injury occurs. Under Georgia law, this should not be done later than 30 days from the date of the injury. Failure to report your injury within this time, you risk losing your workers’ compensation benefits.
Who Do I Have to Report a Work-Related Injury in Lawrenceville To?
Workplace injuries have to be reported to certain individuals in a business or company. In most cases, injured employees will report their injury to their boss or employer. In a company setting, workers will report to their immediate supervisor or any senior person in the Human Resource (HR) department. If you work in the construction sector, you will most likely report your workplace injury to your foreman.
Employer Responsibilities After a Workplace Injury
Generally, employers are supposed to keep their workplaces safe for their employees by ensuring that there are safety guidelines to be observed at all times. In the event of an employee injury, employers have the following responsibilities:
Investigate The Workplace Injury
It is the employer’s duty to establish the facts of a workplace injury. This is mostly done by going through the employee’ report and getting any information from a co-worker who may have witnessed the workplace accident. Investigating a workplace accident helps determine if an employee’s injury was really work-related to avoid awarding benefits wrongly.
Provide Medical Care to The Injured Employee
Employers are required to post their Panel of Physicians to the injured employee and provide details of the members of that panel. This panel consists of at least 6 medical care professionals who offer various forms of medical treatment.
In some cases, the employer may also post a Workers’ Comp Managed Care Organization (WC/MCO) that has the approval of the Workers’ Compensation Board of Georgia. This is an option if the employer has contracted such an organization to provide medical treatment to their employees.
Report Your Employee’s Injury to The Insurance Carrier
Employers are also required to file a Report of First Injury not later than 7 days after a workplace injury is reported by an employee. This report is to be made timely to allow for prompt compensation.
Offer The Injured Employee Return-To-Work Options
If an employee hasn’t suffered a disability due to their injury and can work in a limited capacity, employers are required to provide light-duty work to keep them working and earning, albeit not as much as their pre-injury income.
Employee Responsibility After a Work Injury
It is important that you always adhere to the safety guidelines to minimize accidents at your workplace. If you have been injured while on the job, you are required to do the following:
Report Your Injury to Your Employer
In the event of a workplace accident, don’t wait to make a report. It is advisable to report immediately to your employer or any other relevant person not later than 30 days after the workplace accident.
Seek Medical Care
Choose one of the many medical care providers on the employer’s Panel of Physicians and seek medical care. This is important regardless of the injury intensity as failure to seek medical care could result in the forfeiture of your workers’ compensation benefits.
File A Workers’ Compensation Claim
If you have suffered a workplace injury in Lawrenceville, Georgia, you are required to file a workers’ comp claim within 1 year of your injury.
File An Appeal If Claim Is Denied
Whenever your employer or their insurance carrier denies your claim, you have 1 year from the date of the accident to request a hearing before the State Workers’ Compensation Board.
Submit To a Drug Test
Drug tests are often carried out to find out whether your injury was as a result of intoxication while at the workplace. It is important that you cooperate if your employer requires you to take a drug test as failure to comply may be interpreted as a positive drug test.
Choose A Reasonable Return-To-Work Option
It is important that you take up reasonable light-duty work offered by your employer if you have not suffered a disability and can work in a limited capacity.
Update Your Employer on Important Matters
If a doctor requires you to take time off work after your workplace injury, it is your responsibility to inform your employer as this helps plan for your absence at the workplace.
Seek The Legal Advice of An Attorney
Speaking with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer after a workplace accident helps you understand your rights and responsibilities. This way, you avoid anything that would lead to the forfeiture of your benefits.
Call Us Today When Reporting a Work-Related Injury in Lawrenceville
Working with one of our Lawrenceville workers’ compensation attorneys helps you adhere to the various deadlines when reporting your injury and filing a claim, as well as protecting your right to receive your deserved benefits.
If you have been injured at your Lawrenceville workplace while on the clock, don’t go about your workers’ compensation claim alone. Call the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Atlanta today at 470-518-5026 to find out your rights and responsibilities after a workplace injury.
