Snellville Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Workers get injured at the workplace every day. Some injuries may keep a worker away from work, causing them to lose wages. If you get an injury that arises out of and during employment in Georgia, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. But you’ll want a Snellville workers’ compensation lawyer on your side to win the compensation.

The attorneys at the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition in Snellville, Georgia, are well-versed in workers’ compensation law. Thanks to our many years in practice, we have the skills and experience to pursue and win benefits on your behalf.

Call us at 470-518-5026 to discuss your claim with a Snellville attorney.

What Is Workers Compensation?

Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that aims at helping employees who have been injured while on the job to obtain compensation benefits. These benefits will primarily cover medical expenses and lost wages. Workers’ compensation benefits will also cover mileage expenses and death benefits if the employee dies from an on-the-job accident.

In Georgia, workers’ compensation laws require employers three or more employees to obtain workers’ comp insurance.

What Should I Do If I’m Hurt On The Job?

Following a workplace injury, this is what you should do:

• Report your accident to your employer: Even though you have 30 days to inform your manager, supervisor, or employer of your workplace injury, we recommend that you do it as soon as possible and in writing. Also, remember to keep a copy of the report.
• Seek medical attention immediately: See an authorized doctor or medical provider ASAP to get medical treatment and documentation for your workplace injuries.
• Follow the doctor’s instructions: Follow your doctor’s instructions to the letter to avoid causing more harm.
• Document your injury: Keep track of your symptoms and injuries by making notes detailing how you feel. This information will help to dispel any doubt about the severity of your injuries.
• Take photographs: Pictures can serve as excellent pieces of evidence. If your injuries are visibly apparent, take photos to prove definitively that you suffered an on-the-job injury.
• Contact a workers’ compensation attorney: After an injury at work, you need someone with knowledge about workers’ compensation to offer legal representation.
• File a workers’ compensation claim with the help of an attorney: A lawyer will ensure you file your claim on time and ensure the claims process moves smoothly.
• Rest and recover: Give your body time to rest and recuperate as your attorney handle the rest of your claim’s proceedings.

What Are the Top 10 Most Common Work-Related Accident Injuries?

The most common on-the-job injuries appear across all industries and happen very all too often. They include:

• Overexertion: This can happen in one isolated incident or a series of incidents. Workers often pull a muscle, rapture a tendon, or stretch a ligament from pulling, pushing, lifting, or throwing an object at the workplace.
• Slips, trips, and falls: Workers tend to suffer injuries when they slip, trip, or fall at the workplace.
• Running/walking into an object: In the hustle and bustle of work, employees often suffer injuries after walking or running into stationary objects at the workplace.
• Back / Neck Injuries: Employees often get back or neck injuries caused by muscle strains and disc issues.
• Burns: Workers who use fire or heat as a utility usually tend to sustain burn injuries.
• Hearing Loss: Employees under constant exposure to noise pollution often lose their hearing over time.
• Accidents on the roadways: Employees, particularly truckers, often suffer injuries from road accidents when traveling for business.
• Machinery accidents: Workers who work with or around machinery are often likely to suffer injuries from accidents involving the machines.
• Repetitive motion injuries: Employees whose work duties involve repetitive motions often suffer repetitive injuries like carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and bursitis.
• Workplace violence: Fights among co-workers break out all the time. Workers tend to get injured in these fights.

Why Should I Hire a Snellville Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?

The law does not mandate that you should hire a workers’ comp attorney. However, we recommend that you find a qualified lawyer to handle your case. With an attorney in your corner, you have a better chance of recovering compensation benefits than without one. Here is how a workers’ comp attorney can help:

Protecting Your Legal Rights:

You may not understand the complex terms and jargon in the workers’ compensation act. Insurance companies will try to take advantage of this by tricking you or misguiding you. Lawyers can protect you from such trickery because they understand the compensation act.

Pursuing Third-Party Liability Claims:

If someone other than your employer is liable for your workplace injury, an attorney can help you pursue a third-party claim to recover damages.

Settlement Estimation and Negotiation:

Most probably, you don’t know how much you should be getting for your on-the-job injuries. Estimating the final figure can be complicated if you don’t know anything about workers’ comp law and the nature of workers’ comp claims. Since lawyers have the knowledge and prior experience, they can provide the best estimate. On top of that, they can negotiate with your employer’s insurance company for the best possible settlement.

Making Court Appearances on Your Behalf:

Your work injuries might prevent you from appearing in court. A workers’ compensation attorney can present your case before a judge or jury and help you avoid the hassle of the courtroom.

How Much Do Snellville Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Charge?

Workers’ compensation attorneys take cases on contingency. This means you don’t have to pay us upfront. You will pay us when your case ends and only if we manage to win compensation benefits. In Georgia, an attorney can collect contingency fees of up to 25% of the compensation award.

What Should I Do If My Claim For Workers’ Compensation Is Denied?

When your claim is denied, do not panic. Get your lawyer to appeal the denial by filing a hearing request with Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation Board.

What Are the Employee’s Responsibilities in Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim?

When seeking workers’ comp in Snellville, Georgia, you have the following responsibilities.

• Reporting an injury: Employees should report any workplace accident or injury to their manager, supervisor, or employer immediately or within 30 days and in writing.
• Resuming work: Once workers are ready to return to work after recovering from a job-related injury, they should provide a written notice to their employer and insurance carrier.
• Keeping precise records: Workers should ensure they maintain accurate records during the entire claim process. They should monitor and safeguard documents from their attorneys, WC doctors, employers, and insurance carriers.
• Cooperating with their insurance provider: When asked to submit any necessary documents or to get medical attention from an authorized doctor by their insurer, workers are required to comply.
• Honesty: During the entire claims process, employees should be honest about the information they submit.
• Drug tests: Employees who get hurt while on the job should comply when asked to take a drug test following a workplace accident.

What Are the Employer’s Responsibilities in Workers’ Comp?

Employers also have responsibilities in Georgia’s workers’ compensation process. These include:

• Claim forms: It is an employer’s responsibility to provide their injured employees with workers’ compensation claim forms within 24 hours of learning of an employee’s workplace injury.
• Employers should provide their workers with material that contains information about the worker’s rights under Georgia’s workers’ compensation system and details about how to file a claim.
• First report of injury: It’s an employer’s duty to fill and file a “first report of injury.” The employer is also responsible for sending the document to the workers’ compensation insurance provider.
• Employers are responsible for sending claim forms and all supporting documents to the workers’ comp insurance carrier.
• Investigations: Employers should help during investigations by cooperating with investigators. If requested to avail any necessary documents, they should comply.
• Allowing employees back to work: Once an employee has made a full recovery or is ready to resume work, it’s the employer’s responsibility to welcome them back.
• Cooperate with the state’s workers’ compensation board: Employers are required to inform Georgia’s workers’ compensation board of any fraudulent activities or attempts to make false claims.

Can I Be Fired For Claiming Workers’ Compensation?

No. The law protects you in that regard and prohibits employers from retaliating in any way against employees who file for workers’ compensation benefits.

Is There a Time Limit to File a Workers’ Comp Claim in Snellville, GA?

Yes. There is a deadline for filing a Georgia workers’ compensation claim. Injured employees in Georgia have one year from the date of their injury to file a claim. If you receive medical treatment, you have one year since your latest medical treatment paid for by an authorized doctor to claim workers’ comp. If you are on workers’ compensation benefits, the deadline is two years from the date you received your latest workers’ comp check.

Can I Sue My Employer?

No. Being a no-fault system, workers’ compensation relinquishes an employee’s right to sue their employer in exchange for workers’ comp benefits.

Can An Independent Contractor File A Claim For Workers Comp Benefits?

No. Independent subcontractors and contractors cannot claim compensation benefits under Georgia’s workers’ compensation. However, there could be other avenues for injured independent contractors to pursue compensation for bodily injuries. Speak to a lawyer to discuss your options.

What Is My Snellville Workers’ Compensation Claim Worth?

Generally, workers’ comp covers medical and indemnity benefits. But you can obtain compensation for travel expenses, vocational rehabilitation, and death benefits.
Workers’ comp will pay for:

• Your medical bills, including expenses for medical testing, prescription medications, emergency room treatment, hospitalization, ambulance fees, physician’s fees, assistive and therapeutic equipment, and physical therapy provided, get treatment from an authorized treating physician.
• Vocational rehabilitation expenses.
• Mileage expenses related to your treatment, including to and from visits to doctors.
• Your lost income. Workers’ comp will pay two-thirds of your average weekly wage, capped at $675 per week.
• Permanent Partial Disability (PPD). If your authorized doctor issues a disability rating in compliance with AMAG (American Medical Association Guidelines), you will receive PPD benefits.

Call our Snellville Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

When injured at work, don’t suffer in silence. The Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition can fight for your rights. Get in touch with our Snellville workers’ compensation attorneys to schedule a free case evaluation.

Call us today at 470-518-5026 to set up a meeting.