Every day, workers across all occupations suffer from work-related injuries or illnesses. No matter what kind of job you have, there is always a chance that you might get hurt on the job. How long you are unable to work will depend on how serious your injuries are. Your injuries will result in a loss of your income and incurrence of expenses for your medical treatment.
If your employer in Georgia has at least three employees, they are required to have workers’ compensation insurance for the employees. This insurance will cover your loss of income and medical expenses if you suffered from a work injury in Canton.
To get these benefits, you must file a claim, which can be a very complicated process that requires a great deal of paperwork.
To ensure that you will receive all of the benefits that you are entitled to, you should contact our workers’ compensation lawyers in Canton, GA, to serve as your advocate. Our legal experts will advise you on the right course of action to take and help you with your claim. We will represent you in all negotiations so you will get all the benefits that you deserve.
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How Long Do I Have in Reporting a Work Injury in Canton, Georgia?
In the state of Georgia, you have 30 days to report your work-related injury to your employer. However, it is not advisable to wait that long. It is in your best interest to report your injuries as soon as you are able to in order to document it. If you think you are not seriously hurt, report it anyway to cover yourself in case your injury becomes worse.
If you wait, you open the possibility for your employer to claim that you were injured outside of the workplace. This will work against your claim, which will complicate matters.
Workers’ compensation also covers illnesses that are caused by an unhealthy work environment. Overexposure to certain toxic chemicals for a long period of time can result in serious illnesses. These symptoms can be mild in the beginning, but they can get worse over time.
If you have an illness that was subsequently attributed to your exposure to certain harmful elements in your workplace, you should report this to your employer right away. The 30 days deadline starts from the day you realized that your illness is caused by your work.
If you do not report your work-related injury or illness to your employer within 30 days, your claim might get denied.
Who Should I Report a Workplace Injury To?
You should report your injury to your immediate supervisor or manager to document your injury. If your supervisor is not present, report it to the staff in charge or directly to the department that is responsible for workplace safety. In order to cover yourself, even if you think you are not hurt seriously, you should report it, and do so in writing if possible.
If there are other employees present when you got injured, and you trust them to be reliable witnesses, report the accident in their presence or provide their names to your employer when you report the accident. Their description of what happened will verify your account and make your claim stronger if your claim is challenged. If you are a member of a union, you should also report your injury to the representative of your union in addition to your employer.
Employer Responsibilities After a Workplace Injury
If you are injured on the job, the first thing your employer should do is to make sure that you get immediate medical attention for your injuries. Depending on the severity of your injuries, medical emergency personnel might be called if necessary. In serious cases, the local Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) office must also be notified within 24 hours.
After the immediate medical attention has been delivered, your employer has an obligation to investigate the accident as soon as they can. They must gather all of the facts around when, where, and how you were injured. They will talk with any witnesses at the scene of your accident.
They must gather all the facts about the circumstances around your injury so they can share this with the insurance company when they need it. Your employer must inform the insurance company that you were injured on the job and that a workers’ compensation claim will be filed. Your employer will file a First Report of Injury or Illness with the insurance company.
It is also your employer’s obligation to review safety procedures and emergency plans in your workplace to reduce the risk of the same accident from happening to other employees.
Employee Responsibility After a Workplace Injury
As an employee with a work-related injury, you must report your injury to your employer within 30 days of your accident. If you need medical care and it is not an emergency, you need to schedule an appointment with a doctor who is on your employer’s list of certified Workers’ Compensation/Managed Care Organization (WC/MCO) physicians.
Your employer is required to post this list at a prominent location in your workplace. The list must have the contact information of at least six doctors. Your injuries must be evaluated and treated by one of the approved doctors in order to have the medical expenses covered by workers’ compensation.
To file a workers’ compensation claim, you need to complete form WC-14 and submit it to Georgia’s State Board of Workers’ Compensation with a copy to your employer and to your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer. The claim must be filed within one year of your injury.
Call Us Today When Reporting a Work Injury in Canton
When you are injured, having to deal with all the paperwork and red tape of filing can be very stressful. Instead of tackling this on your own, call us and discuss your work injury. We can help you navigate through this complex system and help you get all of the benefits that you deserve.
We can make sure that everything is filed properly. We can represent you when dealing with your employer to make sure that they have an accurate account of what happened. We can make sure that your benefits are calculated accurately and that they do not stop prematurely. Our legal experts will take care of your case so you can devote your energy to your recovery.
Call Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coaltion today at 470-518-5026 for a free consultation.