If you’ve been injured on the job, or if you’ve sustained a work-related injury, you may be able to receive benefits that will ease your financial burden. Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition in Forest Park, GA has helped many people collect benefits, and we can do the same for you. Make sure that you don’t miss out on the money you are owed by learning more about your workers’ comp benefits in Forest Park, GA.
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Georgia Workers’ Compensation Income Limits
Workers’ compensation benefits in Georgia are determined by the average weekly income before the injury. Workers can expect to collect two-thirds of their average wage. For Total Temporary Disability, benefits are capped at $675 per week. For Temporary Partial Disability, the cap is $450 per week.
There is no income cap when it comes to medical benefits. Any necessary and reasonable treatment recommended by a physician will be covered. However, coverage will be more limited once a patient has reached Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI). This means that the patient is no longer expected to see an improvement in their condition. In most cases, benefits will expire after 400 weeks.
Types of Workers’ Comp Benefits in Forest Park, GA
Work-related injuries can impact people in a number of ways, which is why there are several different types of compensation benefits available. In addition to the benefits listed below, injured workers in Georgia may be able to collect medical benefits, vocational rehabilitation benefits, and mileage reimbursement benefits.
Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD)
TTD benefits are designed to serve as a partial wage replacement when someone is unable to work because of a work-related illness or injury. The benefit is two-thirds of a workers’ average weekly wage. Workers must be assessed by a physician that confirms that an injury is severe enough to keep them from working.
You will only be eligible to receive this benefit if you are out of work. If you are cleared to return to light duty work, you may be eligible to receive TPD benefits instead. Workers are eligible to receive TTD benefits for up to 400 weeks. If a worker is still impaired after benefits have expired, they may be able to collect permanent benefits.
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD)
In some cases, injured workers may be cleared to return to work in a limited capacity. For example, a physician may recommend that a patient works reduced hours. Patients could also be placed on light duty work, requiring them to take a job that pays less than their previous position. If a worker’s wages are reduced because of these limitations, TPD benefits could make up for some of the wages that they’ve lost.
TPD benefits are typically two-thirds of the difference between a workers’ average wage before their injury and the wage they are earning now. Workers can receive a maximum of $450 in weekly benefits. Payments may stop or decrease if a workers’ wages increase.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD)
If a worker’s injury results in permanent impairment, they may be eligible for PPD benefits. Georgia law allows PPD benefits to be paid to any worker that has sustained an injury that is permanently disabling, even if that injury has not caused them to lose wages.
The maximum amount of time a worker is eligible to receive PPD benefits varies based on the part of the body that was injured. As an example, a worker can receive up to 60 weeks of benefits for the loss of a thumb and 225 weeks for the loss of a leg or arm.
Once a worker has achieved MMI, a physician will assign them an impairment rating. That impairment rating will be used to determine a worker’s scheduled awards. If a patient has lost a thumb, and they are given an impairment rating of 50%, they would be eligible for 30 weeks of benefits.
Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD)
Although PTD benefits are not available in Georgia, workers may still be able to receive total disability benefits on a permanent basis. Workers that have loss of function in multiple limbs, multiple amputations, or permanent loss of vision in both eyes may be eligible to receive these benefits.
If workers do qualify for these benefits, they would be entitled to the same compensation that they would receive for TTD benefits. While TTD benefits can only be received for a maximum of 400 weeks, permanent benefits for Total Disability are unlimited.
How Are Workers’ Comp Benefits in Georgia Calculated?
Your workers’ comp benefits in Forest Park, GA will be based on your average weekly earnings during the 13 weeks before your injury. These calculations don’t just look at your base wages; overtime pay and bonuses are included when determining average pay.
Workers will typically receive two-thirds of their average pay, but there are caps on the amount workers are entitled to receive. The cap on total benefits is $675, while the cap on partial benefits is $450. When calculating partial benefits, it’s necessary to look at a worker’s average pay before the injury and what the worker is earning now.
Are Workers’ Comp Benefits in Georgia Taxed?
Workers’ compensation benefits are not considered to be income, and because of that, they are exempt from both state and federal taxes. It is not necessary to claim these benefits when you are completing your tax returns for that year.
Even though your benefits won’t be taxed, any wages that you earn while you collect these benefits will be taxed at the same rate that they normally would. If you choose to retire because of your injury, your retirement benefits will still be taxed as well.
Let Us Help You Get Full Workers’ Comp Benefits in Forest Park, GA
On-the-job injuries can have a devastating impact on a workers’ life and finances, which is why it’s so important to make sure that you’re able to receive all the compensation that you’re owed. Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition in Forest Park, GA is here to answer your questions and will make sure you get the benefits you need. Contact us online or at 470-518-5026 to set up your free case evaluation.
