Have you been injured at your workplace or when performing your duties? Well, you are eligible for compensation based on the Georgia workers’ compensation law. You need to work with the best Marietta, GA worker’s compensation attorneys for the best results.
At the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition, you can always count on the best representation for your workers’ compensation claim. Call us today so we can start working on your workers’ compensation claim.
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What Are The Various Types Of Workers’ Compensation Incomes And Their Limits In Georgia?
If you have filed a workers’ compensation claim in Marietta, GA, you are eligible for the following types of compensation and their limits.
1. Temporary Total Disability Benefits
If you can’t go back to work after your injury for at least 7 days, you are eligible to receive TTD benefits. You will not be paid for the first 7 days you have been out of work until you have been out of work for at least 21 days.
TTD benefits are calculated as two-thirds of your average weekly wages before you suffered the injury. The maximum amount payable for TTD benefits is $675 per week for any injuries suffered after July 2019. The minimum amount payable is $50 every week unless you earned lesser wages before your injuries.
You will continue receiving TTD benefits until you have reached MMI (maximum medical improvement). It means that your condition has improved but will not continue improving even with further treatment.
TTD benefits will be payable for a maximum of 400 weeks. However, they can continue for a longer period if you have suffered a catastrophic injury such as an amputation of a limb, severe burns, or paralysis from a spinal cord injury.
2. Temporary Partial Disability Benefits
Has your doctor cleared you to go back to work? Are you working at a lesser capacity and earning less than you did before the injury? Well, you are eligible for temporary partial disability benefits.
The total amount awarded is two-thirds of the difference between your previous earnings before the injury and your current earnings. The total TPD benefits are $450 per week and they are payable for a period of 350 weeks from the date of the injury.
3. Permanent Total Disability Benefits
After reaching MMI, your doctor should evaluate you to determine whether or not you have a permanent disability. If present, you should be given a percentage for your disability rating. If you have suffered total disability, you will receive PTD benefits for the rest of your life.
These benefits are awarded based on your TTD rate. However, you can receive a lump sum of the amount using the current present value. Some of the injuries that qualify as permanent total disability include the loss of two limbs, loss of two eyes, etc.
4. Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
If you have suffered partial disability, you will receive permanent partial disability benefits according to your TTD rate. However, unlike the PTD benefits, you will receive PPD benefits for a limited period of time. The total time depends on the disability rating for each affected part of your body multiplied by the maximum number of weeks in the state schedule.
For example, if you have lost total use of your hand, you will receive PPD benefits for a maximum of 160 weeks. On the other hand, if you have lost 50% of the use of your hand, you will receive PPD benefits for a period of 80 weeks.
Have you suffered a permanent disability in a part of your body not listed in the schedule such as the organs, spine or head? Well, the duration of your PPD benefits will be based on your disability rating percentage multiplied by a maximum of 300 weeks.
5. Other Benefits
Besides the income compensation as a result of your workplace injury, you will also receive other types of benefits such as the following.
Medical Benefits – You will be reimbursed for all relevant medical treatment resulting from your workplace injury. However, to receive compensation for your medical costs, you must be treated by an authorizing doctor or physician.
Medical benefits are only awarded for a maximum of 400 weeks. However, if your injury happened before July 2013, your injuries will be classified as catastrophic.
Mileage Reimbursement – You will be reimbursed for any travel expenses and mileage incurred when going to or from the doctor’s office.
Death Benefits – Your surviving dependents will be awarded death benefits if you lose your life due to a workplace injury.
If your dependants were completely dependent on your income, the benefits they receive will be awarded at the TTD rate and they will last as long as they are dependent on your income. Note that, death benefits for a surviving spouse without children are usually capped at $270,000.
Funeral Expenses – Your dependents will also receive up to $7,500 in expenses for your burial and funeral expenses.
Note that, workers’ compensation benefits in Georgia are not taxed. They compensate a portion of the lost wages but will not compensate you for the pain and suffering resulting from your injury. It might seem unfair but it is a fair trade-off according to the Georgia workers’ compensation schedule.
With workers’ compensation, you should be able to receive these benefits as fast as possible without necessarily filing a lawsuit or proving that your employer was at fault. Note that, in some cases, depending on the type of injury, you can work outside the workers’ compensation schedule and recover pain and suffering or other losses resulting from your workplace injury.
Concluding Remarks
Working with a workers’ compensation attorney in Marietta is the best choice. At WCL, we are ready to start working on your case to make sure that you are fully compensated for the losses you have suffered as a result of your workplace injury.
If your case ends up in court, we are ready to represent you without any fault. Call us today to talk to the best Marietta, workers’ compensation attorneys at WCL. We are here for you!
