- April 13, 2022
- Workers' Compensation
Whether you are working in a safe office building or at a construction site, workplace injuries can occur anywhere. It can lead to a significant impact on a worker’s finances and overall health. Moreover, job hazards like toxic chemicals can also lead to illness.
Therefore, many employers tend to get workers’ compensation coverage to protect their business and employees. However, very few employees know about the workers’ compensation laws in Georgia. It is ideal to discuss this with workers’ compensation lawyers in Atlanta regarding this insurance to fully dive in and understand it.
To give you a brief idea, we will cover the vital aspects you need to know about the workers’ comp laws in Georgia. Let’s start by understanding what workers’ compensation insurance is and the core elements of the laws regarding it.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
As per Georgia law, workers’ compensation is necessary from the very first day an employee starts working at a company. The insurance helps to pay for the expense of medical treatment if any employee sustains workplace injuries. It covers:
- Emergency care and treatment
- Expenses of admitting the employee to the hospital
- Medications
- Physical rehabilitation
In addition, workers’ compensation also ensures that employees continue to receive a portion of their paychecks. These paychecks will be equal to two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly earnings. They will be on a temporary or permanent basis, depending on the injuries.
If any employee sustains injuries that can result in a permanent partial or total disability, such as hearing impairment, then that particular employer will get the weekly paychecks for a specific time as per their injuries.
Moreover, the coverage also gives employers and business owners liability insurance. As a result, they can get coverage for the legal expenditure in case any worker sues them for their injuries.
How Does It Work?
As soon as the employers find out about any employee getting injured on the job, they need to file a report with their worker’s compensation insurance company. If the worker cannot come back to work for a week or more due to their injuries, the employer needs to inform the Board of Workers’ Compensation about it.
The employer can select any one method from below that the insurer provides to calculate the sum of the benefits in Atlanta, Georgia.
- Committee of Doctors: It will have a minimum of six non-associated physicians.
- Conformed Committee of Doctors: It will have a minimum of 10 physicians, including a chiropractor and a general surgeon.
- MCO (Managed Care Organization): It is an organization that will have the authorization of the workers’ comp board to finalize a plan for the treatment of the worker as per the Georgia Workers Compensation Act.
If you have been hurt at work, you can also choose to discuss it with the best workers’ compensation lawyers in Atlanta to get a better idea about what your claim is worth.
Vital Elements of Workers’ Compensation Laws in Georgia:
The Georgia Code Title 34 Chapter 9 clearly states all the vital elements evolving around the workers’ compensation law throughout the state. Let’s go over some vital elements that you need to be aware of
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Statute of Limitations:
The most imperative thing when it comes to workers’ compensation laws in Georgia is the statute of limitations. The employee will have a month to report their injuries or illness to the employer, but there can be a few peculiarities. In case of death, the time limit for a claim is 12 months.
Moreover, you need to file a claim within 12 months from the day you sustained injuries or from the day of your previous remedial treatment. Also, you can make one after 24 months since you last received your weekly benefits.
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Time Limitations on Benefits:
Another vital element is the time limitations of the benefits. You will start to get the benefits after the week of the disability, lasting not more than 22 days.
In case the disability is prolonged for more than three weeks, the benefits will start from the first day. Also, you can check the relevant state codes to find out about the payments you will get for the Temporary Total Disability (TTD) payments and the Temporary Partial Disability (TPD).
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Amount Limitations:
The amount limit set will determine how much money you will receive under different circumstances under your workers’ compensation law in Georgia.
- In the case of TTD, you will get 2/3 of your weekly earnings with a maximum amount of $575 every week
- For TPD, you will get the 66.66% of the weekly earnings before your injury and the current weekly earnings with a maximum amount of $383 per week
- The PPD gives you benefits with 2/3 of your weekly earnings with a maximum amount of $575 every week.
- The benefits for death will cover the cost of the funeral and make regular payments to the deceased person’s family members who were dependent on them
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Other Limitations:
Besides the time, amount, and the statute of limitations, you need to know about some other limitations, including:
- Specific types of employment are exempted from workers’ compensation coverage.
- Employers can put a restriction on which physician the employee can pick for their treatment.
- The laws do not make it mandatory for the employer to retain your position until you recover and come back to work.
- You won’t receive coverage for diseases such as cardiovascular conditions or mental illness unless they are due to a different occupational illness.
Take Guidance from the Best Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in Atlanta:
The services of an experienced Atlanta personal injury lawyer can help you get the compensation you deserve. And to save you from the hassle, Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition Atlanta is here to assist you throughout all stages of your workers’ compensation case.
So, give us a call to receive the best services in town. We will ensure that all your needs are catered to during this difficult time and you receive the compensation you rightly deserve by the end of it all.
