Georgia law stipulates that any business that employs more than three people should have comprehensive workers’ compensation insurance coverage. This law is designed to protect workers who sustain injuries while working or catch an occupational illness due to their working conditions. This is done by filing for workers’ compensation benefits in Alpharetta.
This means that as a worker in Georgia, you have a right to pursue compensation from your employer for any injuries that you sustain while working. Additionally, if you suffer an illness while working or undertaking tasks on behalf of your employer, you can also seek assistance with workers’ compensation benefits in Alpharetta.
Under the law, you may be eligible for different benefits depending on the nature of injuries or illness. This means that if you suffer any loss of income, face a potential dip in earnings, or cannot work again because of workplace injuries, you can seek compensation for your losses from your employer.
Many workers who have suffered workplace injuries like you tend to shoulder the burden of treatment and other financial impacts alone simply because they do not understand their rights. Today, our Alpharetta Workers’ Compensation Lawyers are here to inform you that you should not have to shoulder this burden alone. We can help you get fully indemnified for the losses you sustain or a likely to sustain in the future as a result of workplace injuries.
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How Can a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Help Me?
For starters, we will examine your case and help you determine the type of benefits that you should pursue. We will then move ahead to help you craft a formidable Alpharetta workers compensation claim which we will then lodge with your employer. If your employer denies your claim, our lawyers will take your compensation claim case to court and fight through the legal system to get you fully compensated.
If you have been injured while working or you have suffered an illness that negatively impacts your earning capability, we can handle your worker’s compensation claim case from start to completion. All you need to do is call our experienced Alpharetta Workers’ Compensation lawyers at 470-518-5026 .
What Types of Benefits Can I Get on Filing A Workers Compensation Claim in Alpharetta, GA?
In Georgia, there are four types of workers’ compensation benefits that you can receive on lodging a claim against your employer. Depending on the severity of the injuries that you sustained in the workplace or the length of your illness, you may be eligible for the following benefit:
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefits
These benefits are typically awarded to employees who suffer injuries or a malady that renders them completely unable to perform their normal work duties temporarily.
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) Benefits
These benefits are usually awarded to employees who return to work while still recuperating from their injuries or illness. To be eligible for these benefits, you must return to work but handle lighter duties or be earning a little less than you normally would because of the impairments caused by your injuries or illness.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefits
These benefits are usually awarded to employees who recover from their injuries but are left with a disability that is not expected to improve over time. For example, if you recover from all your injuries but are left with chronic back pain, you may be eligible for these benefits.
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) Benefits
These benefits are usually awarded to workers who are left with a permanent disability that renders them incapable of working again or getting any gainful employment in the future. For example, if you are involved in a workplace incident that leads to the amputation of your limbs, you are eligible for these benefits.
How Will My Workers Compensation Benefits Be Calculated in Alpharetta?
The overall amount of benefits that you receive on lodging an Alpharetta workers’ compensation claim through our lawyers will depend on the type of benefits that you are eligible to receive.
Different types of employment benefits are calculated differently as we will explain below.
How Are Temporary Total Disability Benefits Calculated?
If you are awarded TTD benefits, your compensation income will be two-thirds of the average weekly income you were receiving at the time of your injury or illness.
For example, if you were receiving an average weekly annual income of $2,400 at the time you were injured, your TTD benefits will be $1,600.
How Are Temporary Partial Disability Benefits Calculated?
If you are awarded TPD benefits, your total benefits will be two-thirds of the difference between the average weekly income you will be receiving on returning to work while healing and the average amount that you were earning before getting injured.
For example, if you were earning an average weekly amount of $2,400 before the accident, and, you are currently earning $1,200 on resuming work after your accident, your TPD benefits will be two-thirds of the $1,200. This means that you will receive TPD benefits totaling $800.
How Are Permanent Partial Disability Benefits Calculated?
If your injury leads to a disability that will affect your earning capability in the future, your doctor will first assess the body parts where you have suffered a disability and then give you an impairment rating which will be used in calculating your PPD benefits. Note that depending on the nature of your disability, your impairment rating may vary. The impairment rating typically denotes the percentage of loss of function that you have suffered in the affected body part.
It is also worth noting that the law stipulates the maximum number of weeks that you can collect PPD benefits for any injured body part. For example, you may find that the back is assigned a healing period of 200 weeks while the hand is assigned a healing period of 300 weeks.
To calculate the PPD benefits due to you, you should multiply the impairment rating assigned to the affected body part with the allowed healing period and your average weekly income.
For example, if you suffer a back disability that is assigned a 20% impairment rating, 300 weeks of healing, and have an average weekly income of $300, then your PTD benefits will be:
20% * 300 weeks * $300 = $1,800
In the scenario above, your PTD benefits will amount to $1,800.
How Are Permanent Total Disability Benefits Calculated?
If you are awarded PTD benefits, your overall compensation amount will be calculated based on potential future earnings that you are likely to lose.
What Are the Limits For Georgia Workers Compensation Benefits?
In the State, there may be limits on the total weekly benefits that you can receive as well as the number of weeks that you can receive compensation depending on the type of disability benefits that you are set to receive.
As of 2020, the set had a maximum cap of $1,066 if you are receiving either TTD or TPD benefits. For both TTD and TPD benefits, the minimum weekly compensation amount that you can receive is set at $30.
The law also stipulates that you can only receive TTD and TPD benefits for up to 500 weeks. However, depending on the progress of your healing, you can seek an extension for both of these benefits once the 500 weeks elapse.
If you are eligible for PTD benefits, there is no limit on the weekly compensation amount that you can receive. As mentioned earlier, the number of weeks that you can receive PTD benefits is usually dictated by the affected body part. Remember that different body parts are usually assigned different weeks for healing.
If your injuries make you eligible for PPD benefits, there is no limit to the total amount that you can receive on a weekly basis. It is also worth noting that PPD benefits are typically awarded for life.
Will My Workers Compensation Benefits Be Taxed In Georgia?
All the four types of workers’ compensation benefits that are awarded in Georgia tend to be exempt from taxation by both State and Federal authorities.
However, if you return to work while receiving disability benefits, any income that you earn will be taxed but your disability benefits will be left untouched.
Contact Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Today to Get Your Disability Benefits Today
The process of determining the compensation benefits that you are eligible for as well as pursuing your employer for benefits can be daunting given that you are still recuperating from your injuries/illness. With a lawyer, the process of claiming your Georgia worker’s compensation benefits will be easier and more stress-free.
If you reside in Alpharetta or any other area in Georgia, our seasoned and top-tier lawyers can help ensure that you receive the compensation due to you.
Over the years, we have proven our experience and proficiency to other workers like you as the reviews and testimonials they have left us to prove.
To get a case evaluation today or to speak to the top worker’s compensation lawyers in Alpharetta, GA, contact us at 470-518-5026 .