- January 20, 2016
Nearly every worker in Atlanta is covered by workers’ compensation insurance and is entitled to receive benefits when they are injured while performing their job. However, in order to ensure that they can collect benefits, an injured worker must take the appropriate steps in the immediate aftermath of sustaining an injury. While many injuries are relatively straightforward and the injured worker will have no trouble with receiving workers’ compensation benefits, other cases can be more complicated and require the aid of a workers’ compensation attorney. Regardless of the type of injuries, every worker must file a claim with the Georgia Board of Workers’ Compensation for their case to proceed properly.
Steps After a Workplace Accident
After a workplace accident, regardless of whether or not injuries were sustained, it is very important that accidents are reported. This helps both employers and employees prevent future accidents and create safer work environments. If there were injuries, it is even more important that the following steps are observed:- Notify the employer – Providing notification to your employer after an injury is extremely important because they legally have no responsibility for the injury until they have received notification. Although it is best to inform a supervisor, boss, or manager immediately, Georgia workers have up to 30 days after the injury occurred to report it. While notification can be provided orally, it is best to submit a written notification, that includes the date of the accident and what you were doing, as this provides documentation that can be used if there are any issues down the road. Failure to notify an employer of injuries could lead to denial of workers’ compensation benefits.
- Seek Medical Treatment – The most important thing to do after a work-related injury is get the appropriate medical treatment immediately. This will prevent any injuries from getting worse, or even save your life. Seeing a doctor also helps begin the documentation of your injuries, an essential component of workers’ compensation. In Georgia, injured workers are required to seek medical aid from a physician that is authorized by their employer. Not doing so may be grounds to deny workers’ compensation benefits.
- File a Workers’ Compensation Claim – Injured Georgia workers should also make sure to file a claim with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation within one year of the accident or two years from the date of the last paid weekly income benefits.
