If you sustained injuries in the workplace, you might be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits in Vidalia, Georgia. Yet, it’s wise to know how the workers’ compensation system works before you proceed to file your claim.
Workers’ compensation is designed to give employees certain benefits in case they are injured in the workplace. Injured workers are eligible for benefits such as medical costs, lost wages, disability benefits, and wrongful death, based on how severe the injuries were. However, there are many cases where the employer and/or their insurer stand in the way of injured employees to get the compensation they need and deserve. That’s why it’s crucial to have an experienced lawyer handle your claim.
At the Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition, clients have come to trust us in getting justice and compensation for their claims. Our team of workers’ compensation lawyers has decades of experience in handling workers’ comp cases, and we have recovered millions of dollars on behalf of our clients.
Our Vidalia workers’ compensation lawyers will handle all the legal responsibilities regarding your claim so that you can rest and recuperate from your injuries. Get in touch with us at 470-518-5026 to schedule a free consultation with our lawyers.
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Limits for Georgia Workers’ Compensation
The workers’ comp insurance in Georgia consists of two parts: Part-A and Part-B. Part-A is meant to reimburse injured workers by guaranteeing unlimited lost wages and medical expenses.
On the other hand, Part-B is liability insurance taken up by the employer to safeguard against lawsuits filed by injured workers. It is meant to protect the employer from lawsuits employees may file pointing at negligence. This also protects the employer’s rights in cases where the employee decides to sue for additional damages. Part-B essentially covers legal expenses, defense lawyer costs, court fees, and settlements.
Each policy usually comes with income limits, but the employer can opt to raise coverage through additional payments. The limits for Georgia are:
- $100,000 limit per occurrence for bodily injury.
- $100,000 limit for each employee covering bodily injuries as a result of disease.
- $500,000 limit covering any form of bodily harm as a result of disease.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Vidalia, Georgia
In Georgia, there are four key forms of workers’ comp benefits for employees who are injured on the job. The benefits you get mainly depend on the nature of the injuries you sustained and the amount of time it will take to recover. The following are the key types of workers’ compensation benefits you can recover:
Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD)
These are mainly reserved for employees who can go back to work, albeit being modified or “lighter” positions in the workplace. Even if the worker earns less money compared to what they earned before the incident, the coverage will essentially cover for the difference. Georgia law sets the maximum amount an employee can receive at $383 per week. This benefit will end after 350 weeks, or once the employee has been declared to achieve maximum medical improvement (MMI).
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD)
When an injured employee is unable to return to work for 7 or more days, they may be eligible for TTD benefits. These are meant to cover two-thirds of the weekly salary before the incident happened. The maximum TTD a person can receive is $575 a week in GA, and this should last until the employee is declared to achieve MMI or for 400 weeks maximum.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD)
If the injuries the employee sustained caused permanent bodily damages that left them with little or no capacity to work, then they may be eligible for PPD. PPD can be categorized into scheduled awards and unscheduled awards. The scheduled awards are meant for damages sustained to the fingers, legs, hands, feet, hearing, or vision.
The benefits usually account for two-thirds of the variance between the weekly salary right before and following the accident. But before the employee starts receiving the benefits, an approved doctor must first evaluate the loss of a body part. In GA, the maximum duration that PPD is allowed for loss of hearing for both sides is 150 weeks.
Unscheduled awards are meant for injuries that are not part of the list outlined by Georgia law for clear payment amounts. GA laws specify that the maximum amount of time allowed for unscheduled PPD is 300 weeks.
Permanent Total Disability Benefits (PTD)
PTD benefits are calculated while accounting for the impairment rating that is awarded depending on the seriousness of the injuries sustained. An injured employee will receive these benefits when an approved medical practitioner has deemed the medical treatment as complete. This means that the physicians cannot do anything else to medically improve the injuries or damages that the employee sustained. When dealing with PTD, it’s always wise to consult an experienced workers’ comp lawyer.
How Are Georgia Workers’ Comp Benefits Calculated?
The average weekly wages that the employee was earning before the accident is important when calculating workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ comp benefits usually pay two-thirds of the average weekly wage, depending on when the incident occurred and how much you used to earn. However, there are a few given caps on the pay. For instance, you will only receive two-thirds of the average wage (weekly) provided it doesn’t exceed $675 a week.
Are Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Vidalia, Georgia Taxed?
In GA, workers’ compensation benefits are not eligible for taxation, given that they are not regarded as taxable income. But if you were able to return to modified roles or light duty after recovering from your injuries, a percentage of your wages might be taxable.
Contact The Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition Today
If you or a loved one sustained injuries while on the job in Vidalia, you may be eligible for compensation from your employer. For best results, you want to work with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer.
Contact the lawyers at Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition as soon as possible at 470-518-5026 to learn more about how we can help you with your case. We always provide our clients with a free initial consultation, and once we establish you have a case, we will fight to help you get the justice and compensation you need and deserve.
