The state of Georgia law requires business owners with more than three employees to have workers’ compensation coverage. So, if you get sick due to the working conditions in your workplace or if you are injured because of a workplace accident, you have the right to claim a workers’ compensation claim. At Workers Compensation Lawyers Coalition, our Cartersville workers comp lawyers will explain what is considered compensable work injuries in Cartersville.
After deciding to file a workers’ compensation claim, we highly encourage you to talk to an experienced and skilled workers’ compensation attorney. Your attorney will help you establish if you have compensable work injuries. If you have compensable work injuries, your lawyer will negotiate with the insurer to ensure you get the benefits.
Here at Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition, we will help you seek justice. We will file paperwork, gather evidence, and negotiate. We are ready to help you determine if your workplace injuries are compensable. So, contact us today at 470-518-5026 to take advantage of our no-cost consultation.
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What are Compensable Work Injuries in Cartersville, GA?
Compensable work injuries are workplace injuries that qualify you for workers’ compensation benefits. For your work-related injury to be considered compensable, you must have sustained the injury from the job you were doing and the injury must have occurred as you were performing your job.
In our opinion, it is better to consult your workers’ compensation lawyer, the state workers’ compensation board, and/or the insurance company to determine if your injuries are compensable. This is because it is difficult to determine if you have compensable injuries on your own.
If you have compensable injuries, you can file a workers’ compensation to seek compensation for your injuries.
Here are some of the common work-related injuries:
- Hearing Loss – It is common in the construction industry. Employees working in construction sites can experience hearing loss because of the loud noise in the construction sites. You need to take the necessary precautions to protect yourself from hearing loss.
- Slip and Fall – It occurs in almost every workplace. If the floor is wet or if there are objects on the floor, you may slip and fill. Poor lighting and scattered debris are some of the things that can cause slip and fall in most workplaces. The employee is responsible for keeping the workplace safe.
- Fractures – You can break your bone in your workplace in so many ways. For example, if you mostly work with machines, the machine can break your bones. If you slip and fall in your workplace, you may fracture your bones. Fractures can keep you out of work for several months.
- Neck / Back Injuries – It is very common for employees to sustain neck or back injuries as they perform their work. If you always lift heavy objects as part of your job, you may injure your back. It is better to lift the objects you are comfortable lifting.
- Burns – If you work with extreme heat or fire in your workplace, you may get these injuries. It is expensive to treat burns. You may end up not working for several months. Therefore, you have to be extra careful if you always work with extreme heat or fire. It is much better to protect yourself.
- Amputations – Employees have lost some limbs in their workplace. And some of these employees have become permanently disabled. If you work with heavy machines or equipment, they can rip off your limbs. You can even get a disease in your workplace, forcing the doctor to amputate a part of your body.
- Construction Accidents – If you work in construction sites, you may have seen some people get injured. Heavy objects usually hit and injure construction workers. Also, some construction workers can get electrocuted as they work on a construction site. Unfortunately, construction accidents can lead to death.
- Joint Pain – If your work involves heavy lifting, you may suffer joint pain. This usually happens if you always overexert yourself. The joint pain can make it difficult to perform your job. You may even be forced to quit your job since you can longer perform your job.
What Types of Compensation Can You Claim?
If you are injured while doing your job, you can receive workers’ compensation benefits, including wage benefits, medical coverage, vocational rehabilitation, and death benefits.
Here are the types of compensation you can claim:
- Medical Coverage – It covers the cost of your medical treatments for your work-related injury or disability. It is the compensation for medical equipment, hospitalizations, medications, nursing care, and other treatments. If you need to travel to get the treatment, it also covers the travel expenses.
- Wage Benefits – If you cannot go to work because of your workplace injuries, wage benefits will cover a part of your wages. The amount you will recover will depend on the severity of injuries and how long you will be unable to work.
- Vocational Rehabilitation – If you are unable to return to previous work because of your workplace injuries, vocational rehabilitation will cover the costs of career counseling, finding a new job, and even job training.
- Death Benefits – If your loved one dies due to workplace injuries, you can get death benefits, especially if you are the child or spouse of the deceased employee or if you depended on the deceased employee. Death benefits also cover funeral and burial expenses.
However, it is not easy to know the benefits you are entitled to. Your employer and insurance company are not going to be transparent since they hate paying these benefits. It is better to hire a workers’ compensation lawyer to make sure you recover all the benefits you are entitled to.
How Long Do You Have to File for Compensation in Georgia State?
You have to file for compensation in the state of Georgia within one year from the date of your workplace injury. If you do not file within the specified period, you forfeit your right to seek compensation for your workplace injuries.
If you got medical treatment, you have to file for compensation within one year from the time you got the medical treatment.
We Help Clients with Compensable Work Injuries in Cartersville
If you are injured in a workplace accident, it is difficult to know if your injuries are compensable. Therefore, you may end up not getting the benefits you are entitled to. You need to seek compensation for your workplace injuries. That is why we recommend hiring a good workers’ compensation lawyer.
Hire a workers’ compensation lawyer to help you determine if you have compensable injuries. If your lawyer establishes you have compensable injuries, your lawyer will prepare your case, negotiate the settlement, and appeal your claim if your employer denies it.
At Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition, we have worked with several employees over the years. We know insurance companies will try to lowball you. We will not let that happen to you. We put our clients first. We are ready to do whatever it takes to make sure you get compensation for your work-related injuries. Call us today at 470-518-5026 to talk to our experienced and skilled workers’ compensation lawyers.
