Why do you need an attorney?

There are a few reasons why those injured in a Georgia workplace accident should consider hiring a workers’ compensation attorney to represent them. First, there are an array of deadlines that must be carefully paid attention to. Missing even one may mean that your claim is barred from court and you lose your ability to collect money for your serious injury. Another reason why an attorney can be of use is that some employers look for ways to deprive workers of the full range of benefits they are entitled to. You may think your employer has done all they can to secure you the compensation you need, but only an experienced workers’ comp lawyer will know whether you are missing out on benefits that you would otherwise be entitled to.

When does an employer have to carry workers' compensation insurance?

Georgia law says that any company that regularly employs three or more people are required to provide workers’ compensation insurance coverage. This count includes part-time employees.

What benefits are injured workers entitled to receive?

The Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act contains all the necessary rules and regulations pertaining to those injured in a workplace accident. The law says that anyone who has been injured in a workplace accident and who is unable to work is entitled to receive certain benefits. These benefits include payment of two/thirds of your weekly income (not to exceed $550 per week) for up to 400 weeks. In some especially serious cases, those who have suffered truly catastrophic harm may be entitled to receive income benefits for the rest of their life. Additionally, employers are obligated to pay any and all reasonable medical expenses that result from your workplace injury.

What if you have a preexisting injury?

Some people may worry that a preexisting injury will prevent them from filing a successful workers’ comp claim. For instance, someone who had prior back pain may worry that they will be prevented from collecting in a workers’ comp case because the employer may simply blame any medical problems on the prior injury. The good news is that in Georgia, workers are entitled to workers’ comp benefits even if an injury aggravates or exacerbates a preexisting condition. The reality is that many people have preexisting conditions and to exclude everyone who has ever been injured in their life would mean that almost no workers would have protection under the law.

In most cases involving an injury, it matters a great deal who was at fault. For example, in a personal injury case, the very first thing a plaintiff would have to do is demonstrate that the defendant was in some way responsible for the harm suffered by the plaintiff. If the plaintiff were later found to be responsible for some of the harm suffered, he or she could see their claim disappear or the damages reduced by the percentage of their fault. That is not how it workers under the Georgia workers’ compensation system which operates on a no-fault basis.

What does no-fault mean?

In Georgia, the workers’ compensation system operates on a no-fault basis, meaning that the employee is not required to establish fault on the part of the employer or another coworker to recover benefits. This makes it dramatically easier to bring a successful workers’ comp claim because injured workers do not have to spend time and energy fighting over who was to blame for a workplace accident.

Does it matter if the injury is your fault?

The short answer to this question is, no, it doesn’t usually matter whether you as the employee caused the workplace accident. For example, if you slipped and fell on wet floor after a machine you were working on leaked water, the fact that you were somewhat responsible for causing your injury would not prevent you from receiving benefits under the Georgia workers’ compensation system. The workers’ comp system is designed to protect all workers, even those responsible for causing their own injuries.

Are there any exceptions?

Though the Georgia workers’ comp system operates on a no-fault basis, there are a few exceptions. The Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act clearly states that “No compensation shall be allowed for an injury or death due to intoxication by alcohol or being under the influence of marijuana or a controlled substance.” This means that if a worker is drunk or high at the time of the injury, his or her claim for workers’ comp benefits may be denied. That being said, having drugs or alcohol in your system at the time of an accident is not a guaranteed bar to recovery. If an employee can prove that the accident or injury would have occurred regardless of the intoxication, meaning the intoxication was not the cause of the accident, the claim may be allowed to move forward.

What should you do after an injury?

If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, the very first thing you should do is seek medical care. Injuries, left untreated, can be made worse, increasing your recovery time and potentially leading to complications. Your health is the most important thing and serious injuries need to be addressed as soon as possible.

What happens after receiving medical care?

If your injuries were not severe and you are able to wait, or you already received medical care, the next thing you need to do is report the incident to a supervisor. It’s unfortunate that those injured in a workplace accident aren’t able to just focus on their recovery, but the law says that speedy reporting is essential to a successful workers’ comp claim. If you’ve been injured, you need to report the incident to your employer as soon as you are safely able to do so. This may mean your boss, your foreman, a supervisor; anyone in a position of authority that can initiate the process.

What happens if you wait to report the injury?

Some people may be unaware of the urgency with which injuries need to be reported. In these cases, waiting can prove very costly. Those who have been injured and wait longer than 30 days to report the injury to their employer may actually lose the ability to collect important benefits, including payments for medical care and lost wages.

How long do you have to file a workers’ compensation claim?

In Georgia, the law says that injured workers have one year from the date of their accident to file a notice of claim. In some cases where a worker is able to continue working following the injury this deadline can be extended, but this should always be discussed first with an experienced Georgia workers’ comp attorney who can advise you with more specific detail about the deadlines applicable to your case.

How much is your workers’ compensation claim worth?

You may know someone who was injured on the job and have an idea of how the process works. Many people hope that if someone they know received a sizable payment for a workers’ comp claim that means they are entitled to a similar payment. The reality is that workers’ comp claims vary greatly depending on the particular facts of the case. Every claim is unique and must be evaluated on its own facts. Only after an experienced lawyer has reviewed your case file and familiarized him or herself with the circumstances would they be able to provide an estimate of how much you stand to collect.

What about independent contractors?

Under Georgia law, true independent contractors are not considered employees and are thus not eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. The key word in the last sentence is “true” independent contractors. This means that just because an employer labels a worker an independent contractor doesn’t necessarily make it so. If the employer controls the time, manner and means of employment for the worker, then that person will be deemed an employee rather than an independent contractor and will have the right to claim workers’ compensation benefits in the event of a workplace injury.

Can you file a personal injury lawsuit as well?

The downside to the easy no-fault workers’ comp system in Georgia is that workers are unable to sue the employer even if the employer is at fault. The workers’ comp system is what’s known as an exclusive remedy for employees against their employers and co-workers. That means if the employer was negligent, the employee will not be able to sue for personal injury. The same goes with coworkers, they too cannot be sued in the event of a workplace accident. That being said, workers are allowed to make claims against third parties who are not coworkers or employers. That means if someone from another company came in and their actions resulted in your injury, you could file a third-party claim for damages in addition to your workers’ compensation claim.

Disputas de indemnización laboral en Rex

Las reclamaciones de indemnización laboral pueden ser denegadas por muchas razones. Pero no tiene por qué renunciar a recibir sus beneficios. Si se encuentra en esta situación, querrá obtener la ayuda de Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition. Tenemos décadas de experiencia gestionando disputas de indemnización laboral en Rex y en toda Georgia.

Nuestros abogados de indemnización laboral de Rex le ofrecerán una consulta gratuita. Llámenos al 470-518-5026 y permítanos ayudarle a obtener los beneficios que se merece.

Causas de disputas de indemnización laboral en Rex, Georgia

Infografía sobre disputas de indemnización laboral en Rex

Existen muchas razones para las disputas de indemnización laboral. El estado de Georgia redacta sus leyes muy cuidadosamente para garantizar que todos entiendan la ley respecto a la indemnización laboral. Los empleadores están obligados a tener un seguro de indemnización laboral para sus empleados si tienen al menos tres empleados a tiempo completo o parcial.

Si alguien resulta lesionado, las compañías de seguros exigen que se sigan protocolos específicos que determinarán la posibilidad de una reclamación de indemnización laboral. Aquí tiene algunas razones para una disputa de indemnización laboral:

Plazos incumplidos (el papeleo no se presentó a tiempo).
Estado de empleo (el empleado no calificaba para la indemnización según su estado de empleo).
El empleado no requirió tiempo libre por su enfermedad o lesión.
Fuera del ámbito laboral (no estaba en la descripción del trabajo del empleado o no pertenecía a su departamento).
Falta de causalidad (falta de información médica).

Qué hacer si se deniega su reclamación de indemnización laboral en Georgia

Si su reclamación de indemnización laboral es denegada en el estado de Georgia, tiene derecho a una audiencia ante la Junta Estatal de Indemnización Laboral. Sin embargo, antes de acudir a dicha audiencia, querrá llamar a la Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition en Rex, GA al 470-518-5026 y contratarnos para ayudarle a gestionar su apelación.

Usted merece una indemnización por sus lesiones y hemos estado en el negocio durante décadas representando a otras personas a quienes se les denegó su reclamación de indemnización laboral. Llámenos hoy al 470-518-5026 y permítanos ayudarle ofreciéndole una consulta gratuita sobre su caso.

Tipos de disputas de indemnización laboral

La indemnización laboral es un tipo de seguro que las compañías de seguros pagan a los empleados que se lesionan en el trabajo. Todos los empleadores en el estado de Georgia están obligados a tener un seguro de indemnización laboral para sus empleados si tienen tres o más empleados a tiempo parcial o completo.

En caso de que un empleado resulte lesionado en el trabajo, este seguro está diseñado para ayudar a compensarlo pagando sus facturas médicas, los medicamentos requeridos para su recuperación, fisioterapia, capacitación laboral si es necesario, y más.

Si un empleado fallece a causa de sus lesiones, su familia puede ser elegible para presentar una solicitud en su nombre. Existen dos tipos diferentes de disputas de indemnización laboral en Rex:

Disputas médicas
Disputas de reclamaciones

Proceso de disputas y apelaciones de indemnización laboral en Georgia

Si se deniega su reclamación de indemnización laboral, llame a la Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition en Rex, GA al 470-518-5026. Hemos estado gestionando disputas de indemnización laboral como la suya para muchas personas en el estado de Georgia. Sabemos que es tentador representarse a sí mismo, pero querrá asegurarse de que su apelación se presente de manera oportuna y adecuada.

Al contratarnos, estará contratando un servicio legal profesional especializado en reclamaciones de indemnización laboral. Entendemos las leyes y regulaciones y podemos ayudarle con cualquier proceso de disputa o apelación que pueda tener.

Evite que se deniegue su reclamación presentando su caso con nosotros

Si ha resultado lesionado mientras trabajaba, puede ser elegible para recibir una indemnización laboral. Es importante notificar a su empleador que resultó lesionado dentro de los 30 días para seguir siendo elegible para los pagos de indemnización laboral. Su empleador tendrá un aviso en la pared de su empresa que detalla cómo notificar adecuadamente a su empleador sobre su lesión.

En este aviso también estarán los nombres de varios médicos aprobados para indemnización laboral. A menos que sea una emergencia y no pueda comunicarse con uno de ellos, querrá asegurarse de acudir a uno de los médicos aprobados para sus lesiones.

Siga las instrucciones de su médico y llame a la Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition en Rex, GA al 470-518-5026 para presentar su reclamación de indemnización laboral. Tiene un año a partir de la fecha de su lesión para presentar su reclamación en el estado de Georgia. Si no presenta su reclamación dentro de este plazo, correrá el riesgo de perder cualquier beneficio potencial para su reclamación.

Cuanto antes presente su reclamación, antes podrá comenzar a recibir sus pagos de indemnización laboral. Sus pagos de indemnización laboral pueden cubrir aspectos como salarios perdidos, facturas médicas, medicamentos para el tratamiento de sus lesiones, fisioterapia y readaptación laboral si es necesario.

Sabemos cómo presentar adecuadamente su reclamación y evitar problemas que puedan desencadenar una disputa de indemnización laboral.

Obtenga ayuda con su disputa de indemnización laboral en Rex

Si su reclamación de indemnización laboral fue denegada, no tiene por qué renunciar a recibir beneficios. Nuestros abogados pueden ayudarle a presentar una apelación y obtener la compensación que merece.

Llame hoy a la Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition en Rex, GA al 470-518-5026 y permítanos ofrecerle una consulta gratuita. Estamos aquí para ayudarle y hemos ayudado a muchas otras personas como usted con sus disputas de indemnización laboral. Tenemos décadas de experiencia para ayudarle.

Disputas de Compensación para Trabajadores en Rex