In Georgia, small businesses and companies with three or more employees, whether full-time or part-time, are required to carry workers’ compensation. This form of government-mandated insurance ensures that employees who suffer compensable work injuries in Dublin, GA while on their job are compensated for medical, rehabilitation, and disability expenses.
To be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, an employee has to suffer an injury that is covered under Georgia’s workers’ comp laws. This means that some injuries may not be compensable, even if they occur when one is on their job. It is therefore important to understand whether your injury is compensable before filing a claim for workers’ compensation in Dublin, GA.
Speaking to an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer about your injury when reporting or filing your claim can help determine the validity of your claim. This way, you get to find out whether you’re in line to receive workers’ comp benefits. If you have been injured in the course of employment and aren’t sure whether your injury is compensable, call the law offices of the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition in Dublin today at 470-518-5026 to schedule a free legal consultation.
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What Are Compensable Work Injuries in Dublin, Georgia?
Basically, a compensable work injury is covered under the Workers’ Compensation Act. Under Georgia workers’ compensation laws, an injury is deemed compensable if it arises out of your work and happened in the course of your employment and resulted in disability or death, or the injured work required medical treatment.
Simply put, a compensable injury has to be related to your job and has to happen while you’re doing what your job requires you to do. Given the different types of jobs, there are various work injuries covered under workers’ compensation.
Some of these include:
Burns
Employees who work in food processing industries and laundries that use boilers are usually at risk of suffering burns. Also, exposure to toxic chemicals could result in serious burns that could keep workers off workers for some time.
Fractures and Broken Bones
Slip and fall accidents in workplaces often result in fractures that necessitate medical treatment. Company drivers may also suffer broken bones in the unfortunate event of car accidents when traveling for business or employment reasons.
Cuts and Lacerations
Manufacturing processes and jobs that involve cutting machines may put workers at risk of suffering cuts and lacerations. This may also be the case in warehouses where workers may use cutting tools for packaging.
Electrocutions
Power failures and the presence of naked conductors in workplaces often result in electrocutions, especially if warning signs aren’t put up in time.
Amputations and Paralysis:
Plant operation, use of heavy machinery, and construction jobs are some of the jobs characterized by serious accidents. Some of these accidents can be so severe that they result in amputations and paralysis, which means that workers may never be able to return to any type of employment.
Long-Term Poisoning
Employees who are constantly exposed to carcinogens such as asbestos and other chemicals may develop various types of cancer over time. In such cases, such workers are eligible to receive workers’ comp benefits.
Occupational Diseases
Repetitive activities such as typing and long hours of sitting often result in some conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome and chronic back pain. Employees who work for mining firms may also be exposed to dust for prolonged periods, which could lead to the development of respiratory diseases.
Aggravation of Pre-Existing Conditions
Workers’ compensation also covers at-work aggravation of a pre-existing condition if work-related duties lead to such aggravation. However, such injuries are only compensated to the point the worker returns to the pre-aggravation condition.
Injuries Due to Business-Related Travel
If you are traveling for employment reasons and get injured in the course of your travels, your injuries may be covered under Georgia’s workers’ compensation laws.
Knowing some of the common compensable work injuries helps you know what to expect whenever you have been injured while on the job. It is also important to understand the injuries that aren’t compensable under workers’ comp to ensure that you steer clear of circumstances that could lead to such injuries. Some of the injuries that are not compensable by workers’ comp as per state laws include:
- Injuries due to willful misconduct
- Injuries sustained during lunch breaks or rest breaks
- After work activity injuries
- Injuries suffered when going to and from work, with certain exceptions
- Injuries resulting from on-job fights or assaults
- Injuries resulting from jokes (horseplay injuries)
- Heart attacks, unless there is clear medical evidence to indicate that your condition was caused by your work
- PTSD, unless it is a direct cause of an injury or disability caused by a workplace accident
- Pain and suffering, or any emotional distress, unless it arises from an injury suffered following a workplace accident
What Types of Compensation Can You Claim for Work Injuries?
Depending on your injury, you can file any of the various types of claims in a bid to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Below are some of the common types of compensation you can claim if you have been injured while on the job:
Medical Benefits
In most cases, you are entitled to compensation for medical expenses if your injury needed medical treatment. Such compensation includes costs for:
- Doctor visits
- Prescription medication
- Hospital stays
- Medical equipment
- Medical tests
Disability Benefits
If your workplace injury has affected your ability to work, you may be in line to receive disability benefits, including:
- Temporary total disability (TTD)
- Temporary partial disability (TPD)
- Permanent total disability (PTD)
- Permanent partial disability (PPD)
Rehabilitation Benefits
Some workplace injuries may also necessitate vocational rehabilitation and other career support services as you may not be able to return to your pre-injury position. In such cases, you can file a claim to receive rehabilitation benefits.
Death Benefits
If an employee suffers fatal injuries following a workplace accident, dependents can file a claim to receive death benefits.
How Long Do You have to File for Workers’ Compensation in Georgia?
If you have suffered a workplace injury in Georgia, you are required to file a claim not later than 1 year from the date of the accident. Failure to file within this time may lead to the loss of your workers’ compensation benefits.
Contact Our Top Dublin Workers’ Comp Lawyers
Workplace accidents are unfortunate events and are sometimes unavoidable. Under Georgia’s workers’ compensation laws, you may be entitled to medical and indemnity benefits if you suffered an injury that required medical treatment or prevented you from returning to your previous employment.
If you aren’t sure whether your injury comes under compensable work injuries in Dublin, speak to one of our attorneys at Workers Compensation Lawyers Coalition at 470-518-5026 or fill our online form to schedule a free legal consultation today.
