If you are a worker in Wrightsville, GA, you may assume that your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance will cover the cost of your medical bills and make up for lost wages if you are injured on the job. Far too many workers learn too late that this isn’t actually the case, and you just might be one of them. The workers’ compensation claims process in Wrightsville can be complicated and stressful for someone without extensive knowledge of the law.
If you are struggling to cope with a work-related injury or illness and your employer is not being as helpful as they ought to be, it might be time to consider hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer in Wrightsville, GA to remind them of your rights. At the Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition, we can help you do exactly that. Contact us at 470-518-5026 or online to schedule your free consultation and case evaluation.
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How Can I Know If My Injury Will Be Covered by a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Injuries covered under workers’ compensation in Georgia are those that occur to an employee in the course of employment. The “course of employment” doesn’t only refer to injuries sustained during a typical 9 to 5 workday, but may also include work-related events that occur on weekends, or accidents that occur while an employee is traveling for work.
Injuries covered under the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act include but aren’t limited to:
- Sprains, Strains, and Other Overexertion Injuries: Such injuries are usually the result of doing the same tasks repeatedly at your job or when you ask for too much from your body at work.
- Paralysis/Spinal Cord Injuries: Violence, car accidents, and falls are some of the leading causes of spinal cord injuries and are all likely to occur at work. Spinal cord injuries may result in total or partial paralysis below the area where the injury occurred.
- Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI): Car accidents and slip and fall accidents are some of the leading causes of brain injuries. Brain injuries may range from a coma to a concussion to deadly bleeding in the brain. Victims may experience permanent cognitive impairment.
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): Victims may be entitled to receive benefits for PTSD under certain circumstances where they are able to clearly tie mental health issues directly to something that happened at work.
- Vision Loss: Physical injury to the eye and exposure to toxins may both result in blindness or impaired vision as can other causes.
- Amputations: Getting caught in a machine or being crushed by an object are some of the most common causes of amputations. Under Georgia law, if you lose a limb, you may be entitled to extra compensation.
- Broken Bones: Car accidents, falls, striking objects, and being struck by objects are all likely to result in broken bones. The broken bones may even lead to permanent impairment in certain instances.
- Repetitive Stress Injuries: Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the different forms of repetitive stress injuries that result from taxing the body repeatedly in the workplace. Injuries to the shoulders, knees, back, and other joints are common too.
- Occupational Illnesses: Exposure to toxic materials at work may lead to the development of illnesses of different types, including lung problems, asbestosis, cancers, and respiratory conditions.
- Hearing Loss: Exposure to loud noises and physical damage to the ear canal or ears may result in deafness or partial hearing loss.
How Long Do You Have to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Wrightsville, GA?
The statute of limitations in Georgia for workers’ compensation claims is 1 year from the date of the accident. It thus means that you have to file a workers’ compensation claim within 1 year of the date of the accident to be eligible for compensation. You are also required to inform your employer about the accident within 30 days of it happening. Failure to meet either of these deadlines may harm your workers’ compensation claim and you might end up forfeiting your right to compensation.
How to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Wrightsville, GA?
Here are the steps to follow in the workers’ compensation claims process in Wrightsville, Georgia.
Step 1: Reporting the Injury
You are required by law to report the accident to your supervisor or direct boss within 30 days and preferably in writing. Informing a coworker that isn’t your direct supervisor or manager isn’t sufficient.
Step 2: Getting a List of Approved Doctors
Your employer is required to provide you with a list of approved doctors that you are allowed to see regarding the treatment of your work injury or illness. If you don’t receive this list, ask the HR department or your supervisor to provide one.
Step 3: Obtaining Medical Treatment
Make an appointment with an approved doctor as soon as possible following your workplace injury or illness. Follow the medical professional’s instructions. Attend all appointments and follow all the work restrictions given by the doctor.
Step 4: Filing a Claim with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation
You will be required to complete Form WC-14 and file it with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation to protect your rights and file a claim. You should then send a copy of the completed form to your employer and their workers’ compensation insurance provider.
Our Wrightsville workers’ compensation lawyers will help you file your claim.
Step 5: Requesting a Copy of Your Employer’s Report and/or Notes
Ask your employer for a copy of the report that they filed with their insurance provider. You should also ensure that you save a copy of the Form WC-14 that you filed with the State Board. If a supervisor fails to make a written report, you need to make a report for your own files.
Step 6: Ensuring that the Insurer Is Informed
Make sure that your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance provider knows about your injury. The vast majority of employers have workers’ compensation insurance with a provider that will handle the claim. The insurance company cannot help if it doesn’t know about your injury or illness.
Get Help With the Workers’ Compensation Claims Process in Wrightsville
If you believe you need to file a workers’ compensation claim, get in touch with an experienced attorney at the Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition. We don’t charge any lawyers’ fees if we are unable to help you recover the full workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to.
If you or a loved one has suffered a work-related injury or illness, contact the experienced workers’ compensation lawyers today at the Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Coalition in Wrightsville, GA at 470-518-5026 or by filling out our online contact form to schedule a free consultation to find out how we can help.
