If you happen to suffer from an affliction or get an injury while working in an official capacity, it’s crucial that you have a grasp on the workers’ compensation system of your state. Workers’ comp is an insurance coverage policy mandated to all businesses by the workers’ compensation boards of all fifty states.
In addition, there’s a federal workers’ compensation insurance policy for federal employees provided for by the federal government. Workers’ compensation insurance is intended to recoup injured employees for medical costs and lost wages, after getting injured or falling sick while on the job.
Georgia Occupational Health Surveillance Report indicated that an estimated 75,000 work injuries happen within the state annually. Regrettably, the majority of these injured employees don’t have a clue on what they should do next after a work mishap occurs. This greatly puts their rights at peril. It is integral that victims of work injuries are able to defend their rights so that they are in a position of recovering the fair and full compensation amount they are owed.
If you have sustained an injury while fulfilling your official duties in Decatur, GA, we at the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition can give you legal counsel on how to proceed onwards. Decatur, GA workers’ compensation laws can be complicated to understand on your own, which is why we are here to give you a helping hand and guide you on how to report your work injury effectively. Our Decatur, GA work injury attorneys care about you and believe you should be compensated for the injuries you have suffered.
If you want more information on how we can help you, give us a call TODAY at 470-518-5026 to get a complimentary initial consultation and case evaluation!
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How Long do I Have in Reporting A Workplace Injury in Decatur, GA?
If you’ve gotten hurt due to a work mishap or have come down with an occupational condition in the course of performing your duties, it’s vital that you respond quickly and report the work-related illness or injury to your employer in Decatur, GA within the acceptable timeframe.
Georgia workers’ compensation statutes decree that an injured worker should give their employer early notice of injuries sustained at the workplace. In particular, the law stipulates that employees who sustain a work injury must notify their employer within 30 days of the occurrence of the incident.
This 30-day specification was incorporated into Georgia’s workers’ comp statutes to give employers adequate time to investigate the incident while the evidence is still fresh. If the 30-day window closes before you have reported your injury, your employer and your employer’s insurance provider have grounds to reject your claim and you may end up getting no workers’ comp benefits entirely.
Who do I Have to Report a Workplace Injury To?
Every business that enlists personnel is liable for their wellbeing while they are working for them, be it, out on-site or in the workplace. So your employer should ensure that they have taken requisite measures to ascertain that you are performing your duties in a safe workplace environment. Health and safety regulations are in place to prevent the likelihood of injuries or accidents. If the said employer hasn’t employed proper procedure to guarantee this, they can be held accountable.
So if you have sustained an injury while fulfilling your work duties, you should report the mishap to your employer right away. If your employer isn’t available for one reason or the other, you can direct the report to your supervisor, manager, or foreman.
Employer Responsibilities After A Workplace Injury
The first and foremost responsibility of the employer after a work injury is to make sure the employee isn’t in any immediate danger and to have the employee get medical care right away. The employer can do this by either calling 911 for an ambulance or seek the help of a first aider.
Good employers will not try to impede the claims process, but rather act efficiently and professionally. The employer is required to record a statement of the incident and send it to the insurer for review.
Another responsibility of the employer is delegating light duties to the injured worker if they come back to work.
Employee Responsibility After A Workplace Injury
For the employee to defend their workers’ comp claim, S/he needs to report the incident to the employer. The time period for this is 30 days from where S/he will have relinquished their right to pursue any form of recompense.
After an accident, the employee should make sure that they have gotten medical care.
It’s also the responsibility of the employee to acquire all the medical records relating to their injuries and also follow up the appointments. Your workers’ comp attorney will need these documents to solidify the case.
Call Us Today When Reporting A Work-Related Injury in Decatur
Workers’ compensation laws can prove to be quite intricate. Without enlisting skilled legal counsel to steer you through the murky waters of the legal system, you may find it challenging to maximize your compensation benefits. This is why tackling it alone by yourself isn’t recommended. Hiring an experienced Decatur workers’ comp attorney from the start to guide you will enable you to recuperate at the hospital with ease knowing that things are being dealt with and all procedures are being followed. This way, you can be confident that you’ll get the maximum compensable amount possible.
We at the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition in Decatur, GA have expansive experience advocating for victims of work-related injuries and will fight for you with everything we’ve got to ensure that you get the medicare and benefits you deserve. You can count on our expertise as legal professionals to help you process your workers’ compensation claim in a timely manner and also ensure that your rights have been defended.
So if you want an experienced work injury attorney in Decatur, reach out to our offices at Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition to get a FREE consultation. You can contact us at 470-518-5026 to get help with your workers’ compensation claim process.
