An on-the-job incident that prevents you from working can be frustrating. On top of the pain and suffering, you have to deal with medical expenses and lost wages. It can be overwhelming. But you don’t have to suffer in silence. You deserve compensation for your on-the-job injury.
Unfortunately, many employees learn too late that employers and their insurance companies put their bottom line first, leaving injured workers and their loved ones stranded. There aren’t supposed to be any adversaries. Still, sometimes, employers and insurance companies try to undervalue claims and even use medical providers that send workers back to work too soon.
Are you having a hard time trying to recover what you are entitled to after a workplace injury? If any dispute arises when filing for workers’ compensation benefits, the first thing you should do is call our experienced attorneys at the Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition to discuss your situation.
As Suwanee workers’ compensation lawyers with years of experience, we have helped many injured workers overcome various common workers’ comp obstacles, including reporting work-related injuries, disputes, denied claims, and more. Call us today at 770-796-0919 to schedule your free consultation.
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What Is Workers Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a state & federal program that provides medical benefits and wage reimbursement to workers hurt in the course of employment. Workers’ compensation relinquishes the worker’s right to sue their employer for the workplace accident.
These benefits apply to injuries that arose out of employment and during employment. If part of your job is to travel to an off-site location, workers’ compensation will pay for any injuries you sustain too.
In Georgia, employers with three or more workers must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover an employee’s medical bills and a portion of their lost income when an injury at work prevents them from fulfilling their job duties.
Workers’ compensation also enables the surviving family members of a deceased employee to collect death benefits if the worker dies from a workplace accident.
What Should You Do If You Suffer a Workplace Injury?
If you are hurt at your job or develop an occupational disease, you should follow these steps.
Inform Your Employer of Your Work Injury
You should report your on-the-job injury to your employer immediately or within 30 days, preferably in writing. Make sure to keep a copy of the same.
Get Medical Treatment and Follow the Doctor’s Instructions
See a doctor to get treatment and documentation for your injuries. The sooner, the better. Follow your physician’s instructions to avoid causing more harm.
Keep a Written Record
Start and keep a written record of your injury and symptoms. You know your body more than anyone else. Keep track of your injury and symptoms in writing. Ensure you get all the details.
Take Photos of the Injury
Take photographs of your injury, if visible. Take photos of your injury to serve as evidence that you got hurt at work, and you deserve time and resources to recover.
File a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Get a reliable Suwanee workers’ compensation lawyer to help you file your claim. You have a year from your accident date to file a claim, but the sooner you do it, the better so that you can begin the process of seeking benefits.
Rest and Recuperate
It would be best if you gave yourself time for recovery. That’s precisely why you should let us handle your Suwanee workers’ comp case as you rest and recuperate.
What Are The Most Common Workplace Accidents & Injuries?
Some on-the-job accidents are more common than others because they can happen in virtually any job environment or industry. The most common job-related accidents include:
- Walking into objects: Workers in any industry can sustain injuries from walking into stationary objects at the workplace.
- Cuts and lacerations: Workers who use implements like paper trimmers and power saws at work are likely to suffer painful cuts and lacerations.
- Being hit by falling objects: Employees often suffer injuries from falling objects when they find themselves on the receiving end.
- Inhaling toxic fumes: Working around or with hazardous chemicals often affects the employees who inhale toxic fumes and gases and may cause injuries.
- Overexertion: Workers tend to sustain muscle, tendon, or ligament injuries due to lifting, pushing, pulling, carrying, holding, or throwing activities in the workplace. This may happen in a single incident or over time.
- Hearing Loss: Noise pollution at the workplace can cause hearing loss to workers.
Why Should I Hire a Suwanee Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
While workers’ compensation laws in Georgia don’t require you to hire an attorney, we recommend that you get a qualified lawyer for the following reasons:
Knowledge and Experience
You are more likely to get the benefits you are owed with a lawyer on your side than without one. A Suwanee workers’ compensation attorney can help you gather supporting evidence to bolster your claim. A lawyer can help you appeal with Georgia’s workers’ comp board if your claim is denied.
Additional Damages
An attorney can determine if a third-party claim is possible. On top of the lost wages, medical benefits, mileage expenses, death benefits, and disability funds, a lawyer can help you seek additional damages when someone other than your employer (third-party) is responsible for the accident.
Negotiations
Lawyers are skilled negotiators; besides, they understand compensation laws and how to compute benefits. A worker’s compensation attorney will know when to take or leave an offer even when the insurance company declares that “this is the final offer.” A lawyer can call a bluff and will not cave to an unfair settlement.
Representation
An attorney can provide court representation if you fail to settle your claim and save you time and money. A trial can be an exhausting process since you have to meet with witnesses, file petitions, and dig up medical records. An attorney will appear and present your case before a judge or jury on your behalf.
How Much Does Hiring a Suwanee Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Cost?
Attorneys in Suwanee, GA, take workers’ compensation cases on contingency. The fees for workers’ comp lawyers are based on whether they manage to obtain financial recovery. This means that they get paid at the end of your case only if they manage to win compensation benefits. The maximum contingency fee a Suwanee workers’ comp lawyer can charge you is 25% of the compensation award.
You have nothing to lose with a contingent fee because all the risk will lie with your attorney.
What Should I Do if My Workers Compensation Claim is Denied?
If your workers’ comp claim is denied, call the Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition. We will determine why your claim was denied and explain the situation. We will then pursue your claim through litigation after filing a hearing request with the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Board.
What Are the Employee’s Responsibilities in a Workers’ Comp Claim?
Employees in Suwanee and everywhere else in Georgia have certain responsibilities when filing for workers’ comp. These include:
- Reporting the Accident: Workers are responsible for reporting their workplace accidents to their employers. They should report in writing and within 30 days or risk losing their right to claim compensation.
- Returning to Work: Employees are required to notify their employers and insurers in writing when they recover and are ready to resume work after an on-the-job accident.
- Maintaining Accurate Records: Employees should maintain error-free records during the whole claim process by monitoring and safeguarding all vital documents, including forms from their attorneys, WC doctors, employer, and insurance companies.
- Cooperating With Their Insurer: Employees should cooperate and comply with requests made by insurance carriers. For instance, they should comply if requested to get medical treatment from an authorized physician or to avail documents.
- Being Honest: Providing false or misleading information is a misdemeanor. Employees should be honest throughout the entire claim process.
What Are the Employer’s Responsibilities?
Employers also have responsibilities in the workers’ compensation process.
- First Report of Injury: It is the responsibility of the employer to complete and file a “first report of injury.” The employer should then send the document to the workers’ compensation insurance carrier or the claims administrator.
- Make Provisions for Disability: Employees should make provisions to accommodate injured employees if they can return to work.
- Cooperate with Investigators: Employers should work and cooperate with investigators during the claims process. They should avail all necessary documents at the request of investigators.
- Welcoming Employees Back to Work: It’s an employer’s responsibility to welcome employees back to work after recovering from their injuries.
- Cooperate with Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation Board: Employers in Georgia are responsible for helping the state’s compensation board avoid fraud and false claims.
Can I Be Fired for Claiming Workers’ Compensation?
No. In Georgia, the law prohibits employers from retaliating or discriminating against employees who claim compensation benefits.
Is There a Deadline to File a Workers’ Comp Claim in Suwanee, Georgia?
Yes. Injured workers in Georgia have a year from the date of their job-related accident to file a claim. If they receive medical treatment, the time limit is one year from the last medical treatment paid for workers’ compensation provider. The deadline for filing a claim is two years from the date you got your last workers’ compensation check.
Can I Sue My Employer?
Workers’ comp follows a no-fault system. In other words, if you cannot sue your employer for falling ill at work or for a work-related injury. Filing for workers’ comp benefits means you relinquish your right to sue your employer in exchange for workers’ comp benefits.
Can Independent Contractors Claim Workers’ Comp Benefits?
Independent contractors in Georgia cannot claim workers’ compensation benefits. However, there are instances where independent contractors can qualify for benefits, for example, if their employer controls the manner, time, and means of employment.
What Is My Suwanee Workers’ Compensation Claim Worth?
Workers’ compensation typically covers indemnity and medical benefits. Workers’ comp will pay for:
- Your medical expenses for all appropriate and necessary treatment as long as it is from an authorized treating physician.
- Vocational training and rehabilitation costs, including occupational and physical therapy.
- Any necessary mileage expenses associated with the treatment of your injury, travel costs to and from follow-up appointments.
- Your wage loss reimbursement benefit, which will be two-thirds of what you averagely make in a week to compensate your period of temporary disability. These benefits will have a weekly $575 cap.
- Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) – If the authorized WC doctor gives you a disability rating in compliance with the American Medical Association Guidelines, you can receive an additional sum of money.
Contact Our Suwanee Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Now
Have you suffered a job-related injury? If so, you may be entitled to workers’ comp benefits to help ease the financial, physical, and psychological implications of getting hurt or falling ill on the job. The attorneys at the Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition in Suwanee, Georgia, are dedicated to fighting for the benefits of injured workers and can assist you every step of the way when filing a workers’ comp claim. Call 770-796-0919 to arrange a free case assessment today.
