It only takes a moment for an injury at work to turn your world upside down. If a job-related injury or illness leaves you unsure what to do next, the first step is to assess your situation and decide whether you need the help of workers’ compensation lawyers. What happens if you have to be off work? Are you entitled to benefits? Here’s what to consider.
Claims Are Often Denied
Employees are often surprised when what seems like a simple injury claim is denied by their employer’s insurer — sometimes with a claim that the injury didn’t even happen on the job. That leads some people to give up before they start, and others to try to handle it themselves without knowing how the system works. The best course is to have an experienced workers’ compensation attorney handle your claim — someone who knows how to get you the benefits the law allows.
Benefits Under Workers’ Compensation Laws
- Medical benefitsWhether your claim arises from an accident or an illness caused by your working conditions, you’re entitled to appropriate treatment from a doctor on your employer’s approved list — generally including hospital charges, diagnostic tests like X-rays and scans, physical therapy, prescriptions, necessary travel, and items like crutches, wheelchairs, and braces.
- Benefits for lost wagesIn Georgia, you’re entitled to weekly income benefits if you’re unable to work for more than seven days due to a work-related injury or illness — based on temporary total or temporary partial disability. Having a lawyer helps ensure your settlement includes every benefit you’re owed.
- Vocational rehabilitationIf you suffer a catastrophic injury, Georgia law entitles you to help getting another job or learning to do one — an important benefit you may not be offered unless you have an attorney on your side.
- Permanent partial disability (PPD)Once you reach maximum medical improvement, your doctor issues a PPD rating (a percentage) used to calculate compensation for your permanent disability under the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act.