Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Canton, GA

The workers’ compensation program in Georgia was developed to offer both medical benefits and financial compensation to persons that have suffered a workplace injury or a work-related illness. If you were injured on the job or suffered a work-related illness, it is your right to seek justice in the form of a workers’ compensation claim.

Workers’ compensation benefits in Canton, GA cover medical costs, lost wages, along with other losses. The Canton workers compensation lawyers at Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition can help you navigate the workers’ compensation claims process as well as appeal a denied claim. Contact us today either at 470-518-5026 or online for your free consultation.

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Georgia Workers’ Compensation Income Limits

Workers’ compensation pay in Canton, Georgia is capped at two-thirds of the average weekly salary based on how much you were earning when the accident occurred. Still, it is important to note that there are caps on the pay you can receive. You will receive two-thirds of your average weekly wage up to a maximum payment of $675 per week.

Types of Georgia Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Georgia law recognizes 4 types of disability benefits paid under workers’ compensation insurance. With regards to the type of benefit awarded, it usually depends on the extent of the disability along with the time up to which it’s expected to last.

Whichever of these benefits you choose to pursue, always make sure that you have a qualified Canton workers’ compensation lawyer on your side.

Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD)

Temporary Total Disability benefits start once you miss more than 7 days of work due to your work-related injury and stop once you recover from the injury or are released to return to regular work duties, usually at maximum medical improvement (MMI). MMI refers to when it is determined by a doctor that the medical condition or injury won’t improve further.

Total Partial Disability Benefits (TPD)

Total Partial Disability benefits are paid when you are able to work, but aren’t earning the same wages as prior to the workplace injury, such as when your employer assigns you light duties or you are required to work fewer hours. TPD benefits usually stop once that doctor determines that you have reached MMI and that you can resume your regular work duties.

Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD)

Permanent Partial Disability Benefits are paid after the doctor has determined that you have reached MMI and has assessed your condition to determine your eligibility for disability benefits. You can only qualify for PTD benefits if your condition is severe and you will receive an amount equal to the rate of your TTD for life.

Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD)

Permanent Partial Disability benefits are also paid after the doctor has determined that you have reached MMI and has assessed your condition to determine whether you are eligible for disability benefits. PPD benefits are compensation for the damage done to a specific part of the body as determined by Georgia law.

Lawyer helping hurt man file for workers' compensation benefits in Canton, GA

How Are Canton, GA Workers’ Compensation Benefits Calculated?

The following is a detailed breakdown of how the different benefits outlined above are calculated:

Calculating Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefits

To calculate TTD benefits, you simply determine what two-thirds of your average weekly wage is up to the maximum allowed by the state, which is $675. The average weekly wage is the average of your wages for the 13 weeks prior to the injury.

You will receive TTD benefits until you have reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) or for 400 weeks, whichever occurs first. For injuries occurring on July 1, 2016, or later, you can receive up to $575 a week.

Calculating Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) Benefits

To calculate TPD benefits, you simply determine what two-thirds of the difference between what you earn and what your earned prior to the injury is, up to $383 a week if the injury occurred on or after July 1, 2016. You will continue receiving TPD benefits until you reach MMI or for 350 weeks, whichever occurs first.

Calculating Permanent Total Disability (PTD) Benefits

Once you have reached MMI, your doctor will assess your condition to determine whether or not you are eligible for PTD or PPD benefits. To qualify for PTD benefits, your condition has to be severe, such as the loss of both eyes, for instance. If you qualify for PTD benefits, you will receive an amount equal to the rate of your TTD for life.

Calculating Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefits

Once you have reached maximum medical improvement and the doctor determines that you are eligible for PPD benefits, they will continue at a rate of two-thirds of your average weekly wage. The length of time you receive PPD benefits will depend on whether the injury affects a part of your body, such as a hand that appears on Georgia’s list of scheduled members.

Are Canton, GA Workers’ Compensation Benefits Taxed?

Canton Workers Compensation Benefits Infographic

No, Georgia residents are not required to pay taxes on their workers’ compensation benefits. According to IRS Code 26 U.S. Code § 104, amounts that are received under workers’ compensation acts in recompense for sickness or injuries are not regarded as income. Furthermore, should you reach a settlement in your workers’ compensation case, the same IRS code allows that settlement to be shielded from tax.

Let Us Help You Get the Max Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Canton

If you have suffered a work-related illness or injury, you are probably stressed and anxious about how you will pay your medical bills or even take time off work to allow your body to heal so that you can resume your work duties and continue earning a living.

The workers’ compensation system in Georgia was originally intended to make the process of receiving benefits much smoother, but it is actually not uncommon for insurers to deny employee claims unfairly.

The worker’s compensation lawyers in Canton, GA at Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition can help you fight to secure the benefits that you are rightfully entitled to. Contact us today at 470-518-5026 or online to schedule your free consultation and case evaluation.

We sincerely look forward to hearing from you!