You have the right to receive workers’ compensation benefits after a workplace injury in Griffin, GA. Unfortunately, your employer and the insurance company may deny you these benefits. Many workers’ compensation disputes in Griffin, GA, arise once employees are denied compensation benefits.
If you are facing such a dilemma, a Griffin workers’ compensation lawyer can help you resolve your workers’ compensation dispute. At Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition, our attorneys will fight to protect your legal rights. We will work tirelessly to overturn the insurer’s decision.
It’s time to get the compensation benefits you deserve. Call 470-518-5026 now to schedule your free case evaluation. Our lawyers will offer you sound legal advice every step of the way. Let us help you maximize your compensation for your workplace injury.
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Causes of Workers’ Compensation Disputes
Workers’ compensation protects employees after workplace accidents. This accident insurance coverage is designed to pay for medical expenses and other damages incurred after a workplace accident.
However, not everyone may be entitled to these benefits. Insurance companies may cite various reasons for denying your claim. Such decisions often lead to workers’ compensation disputes in Griffin, GA. They include:
Employment Status
In Georgia, independent contractors aren’t eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. If you are an independent contractor, the insurance company may deny your claim. However, you should be wary of the deceptive tactics that employers use to misclassify employees as independent contractors.
Your employer may misclassify you as an independent contractor rather than an employee to avoid paying work injury insurance premiums and other employee-related benefits, such as paid leave days and health insurance.
Outside Scope of Employment
Your employer may also deny your claim if your injury happened outside the workplace. If your employer believes a work-related assignment didn’t cause your injury, they may deny your Griffin workers’ comp claim.
Lack of Causation
To secure benefits in a workers’ compensation claim, you must prove your injury was caused by a workplace accident. Your employer’s insurance company may deny your claim if you are unable to prove that a work-related incident led to your injury.
Missed Deadline
You should report your workplace accident to your employer as soon as it happens. Remember, you have 30 days to notify your employer about your accident. A missed deadline will result in a denied claim.
Inadequate Information
After a workplace accident, the employer’s insurance company may request additional information about your accident. Don’t disregard such a request. You should provide relevant documents such as medical records to the insurance provider.
What to Do if Your Workers’ Comp Claim is Denied in Georgia?
Once an insurance company denies your claim, you should act fast. Remember, the clock is ticking. Georgia has a deadline for workers’ compensation appeals.
Always contact a reputable Griffin workers’ compensation lawyer to help you with your appeals process. At Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition, our legal team will find out why the insurance company denied your claim and devise an effective legal strategy to counter their decision.
Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition will request a hearing with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation (SBWC). We will file a Notice of Claim form within one year after your workplace accident.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Disputes in Griffin, GA
After an insurance company denies a claim, two types of workers’ compensation disputes often arise in Griffin, GA.
Medical Disputes
Workplace accidents can result in severe injuries. You may sustain burns, neck injuries, fractures, and joint pain after a workplace accident. The employer’s insurer may refuse to pay your medical bills after an accident. This may include prescriptions, physical therapy costs, surgery expenses, and assistive devices.
The insurance company may also pay for your medical bills for a while and then stop. This could also result in a Griffin workers’ compensation dispute. If this is the case, you have one year from the last time you received a medical payment to file a workers’ comp claim in Georgia.
Claim Disputes
Employees in Georgia also raise claim disputes in work injury compensation cases. These disputes include:
- Average Weekly Wage Disputes
These are disagreements between an employee, employer, and the insurance company on how much the employee should get as compensation benefits.
- The Extent of the Injury
These disputes arise when an insurer decides to pay for one injury, arguing another injury wasn’t caused by your workplace accident.
- Disability
An insurer may question whether your workplace injury or other factors, such as pre-existing conditions, led to your permanent or partial disability.
- Compensability
Does your workers’ comp claim meet the threshold for coverage under the insurance policy? An insurance provider may argue that you aren’t eligible for coverage.
Workers’ Compensation Dispute and Appeals Process in Georgia
A knowledgeable workers’ compensation lawyer in Griffin may be resourceful if your claim has been denied. At Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition, our legal team will guide you through every step of this process.
Filing a Claim
Our lawyers will file a WC-14 form or a Notice of Claim form and submit it to the State Board of Workers’ Compensation. A copy of the WC-14 form will be shared with your employer and the insurer.
Mediation
This is an informal process to resolve the workers’ compensation dispute between you, your employer, and the insurer.
Hearing
A hearing will be set for your workers’ compensation dispute if mediation doesn’t work out. This stage of the appeals process may include submissions and testimonies.
Appellate Review
You can proceed to file an appeal if you are dissatisfied with the ruling. The Appellate Division of the SBWC has 20 days to deliver a ruling on your compensation case.
Court
You can appeal your workers’ comp claim at the Georgia Court of Appeals or the Georgia Supreme Court. This is the last recourse in your claims process.
Let Us Help You Resolve Your Griffin Workers’ Compensation Dispute
Insurance companies will do everything in their power to limit or deny your claim. They make money from this business. However, they may at times act in bad faith and deny you what you rightfully deserve. Your employer may also dispute your eligibility for workers’ comp claims.
If you are in the middle of a Griffin workers’ compensation dispute with your employer or an insurer, hiring experienced workers’ compensation attorneys is your best option. Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition won’t let the insurance company bully you. We will assess the extent of your injury, push for maximum medical benefits, and take care of your appeal.
Call us now for a free case review. We will fight for you every step of the way.
