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Your Georgia Work Injury Attorneys

Georgia Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

You Got Hurt on the Job. We Make Them Pay What They Owe.

Injured at work in Georgia? The law entitles you to medical treatment and weekly checks — but insurers delay, deny, and lowball every step of the way. Morrison & Hughes forces the system to work for injured Georgia workers, statewide.

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We handle denied & delayed claims
Trial-tested advocates
6 office locations
0M
U.S. Workplace Injuries
Private-industry cases, 2023 (BLS)
0
GA Fatal Work Injuries
2024 — down from 192 in 2023 (BLS CFOI)
$0
Max Weekly TTD Benefit
GA, injuries on/after 7/1/2023 (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-261)
0
Week Benefit Cap
Non-catastrophic claims (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-261)
Standing Up for Injured Georgia Workers

You Did Your Job. Now Make the Insurance Company Do Theirs.

Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation Act is supposed to be simple: if you’re hurt on the job, your employer’s insurer pays for your medical care and replaces a share of your lost wages — no matter who was at fault. In practice, insurers fight to send you to “their” doctor, cut off your checks early, and pressure you to return to work before you’ve healed.

Morrison & Hughes Law Firm represents injured workers across Georgia — from Atlanta and the metro counties to LaGrange and beyond. We make sure your claim is filed correctly and on time, that you get the authorized treatment you need, and that you receive every weekly check and benefit the law allows. And if the insurer won’t play fair, we take them before the State Board of Workers’ Compensation.

Tell Us What Happened
Construction worker on a Georgia job site at risk of a workplace injury
The Reality of Work in Georgia

Georgia & U.S. Workplace Injury Statistics

The numbers below come directly from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) — the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses and the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries — and the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. They show how common, and how serious, on-the-job injuries really are.

U.S. Nonfatal Workplace Injuries by Year

Private-industry recordable cases, in millions
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses — 2.8M (2022) and 2.6M (2023) private-industry cases.

Leading Causes of Serious Work Injuries

U.S. cases with days away from work, by event (2023–24)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023–24 — contact with objects/equipment (499,270), overexertion (492,140), falls/slips/trips (479,480).

Georgia Fatal Work Injuries by Event

How Georgia workers died on the job (2024)
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries — 170 Georgia fatalities in 2024; transportation incidents (58) were the leading event at 34%.

Georgia Workplace Fatalities by Year

Total fatal work injuries in Georgia
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries — 192 (2023) and 170 (2024), an 11.5% decline.
Workplace Injuries We Handle

Georgia Work Injury Claims We Take On

From single catastrophic accidents to the repetitive strain of years on the line, Morrison & Hughes handles the full range of Georgia workers’ compensation claims. Explore the specific situations we fight for below.

Catastrophic Injuries & Amputations

Spinal cord injuries, severe burns, traumatic brain injuries, and amputations carry special “catastrophic designation” rights under Georgia law — including lifetime income and rehabilitation benefits.

Learn more →

Workplace Car & Truck Accidents

If you were driving for work when you were hurt — deliveries, sales routes, hauling — you may have both a workers’ comp claim and a separate third-party injury case against the at-fault driver.

Learn more →

Plant, Factory & Warehouse Injuries

Machinery crush injuries, forklift accidents, falls, and overexertion on the warehouse floor. Georgia’s manufacturing and logistics workers face some of the highest injury rates in the state.

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Amazon & Fulfillment Center Injuries

The relentless pace of fulfillment and delivery work drives repetitive-motion injuries, back injuries, and falls. We know how these claims are managed — and how to fight back.

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Carpet & Flooring Mill Injuries

Northwest Georgia’s carpet and flooring mills expose workers to dangerous machinery, chemicals, and repetitive strain. We represent injured mill workers across the region.

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Chicken & Poultry Plant Injuries

Lacerations, repetitive-motion disorders, chemical exposure, and falls on slick floors plague Georgia’s poultry-processing workforce. We hold employers and insurers accountable.

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Workers’ Comp Death Claims

When a job-related accident or occupational illness takes a worker’s life, Georgia law provides death benefits and funeral expenses to surviving dependents. We guide families through every step.

Learn more →
What Benefits You’re Owed

The Workers’ Comp Benefits Georgia Law Guarantees

A Georgia workers’ compensation claim isn’t about pain and suffering — it’s about three things the law promises every injured worker: medical care, wage replacement, and compensation for permanent damage. Here’s what you’re entitled to.

TTD — Income Benefits

Temporary Total Disability

If your authorized doctor takes you out of work entirely, you’re owed weekly checks equal to two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to the Georgia statutory maximum.

$800 / week max

Maximum rate for injuries on or after July 1, 2023 (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-261). Payable up to 400 weeks for non-catastrophic claims.

TPD — Income Benefits

Temporary Partial Disability

If you return to lighter or reduced-hour work and earn less than before, you’re owed two-thirds of the difference in your wages, up to the state maximum, for as long as 350 weeks.

$533 / week max

Maximum TPD rate for injuries on or after July 1, 2023 (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-262).

Medical Benefits

100% of Authorized Medical Care

Georgia comp pays the full cost of reasonable, necessary treatment for your work injury — doctor visits, surgery, hospital stays, prescriptions, physical therapy, and mileage to appointments. No deductibles, no co-pays.

Treatment must generally be with a physician from the employer’s posted panel (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-201).

PPD — Income Benefits

Permanent Partial Disability

Once you reach maximum medical improvement, your doctor assigns a permanent impairment rating. PPD benefits pay a set number of weeks based on that rating and the body part affected, per the statutory schedule.

Calculated under the schedule of losses in O.C.G.A. § 34-9-263.

Vocational

Rehabilitation & Retraining

For seriously injured workers — especially those with a catastrophic designation — Georgia provides vocational rehabilitation: a rehabilitation supplier, retraining, and job-placement help so you can return to suitable work.

Catastrophic claims are entitled to rehab services under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200.1.

Death Benefits

Benefits for Surviving Dependents

If a worker dies from a job injury or occupational disease, Georgia pays weekly death benefits to surviving dependents (two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage, subject to the maximum) plus up to $7,500 in funeral expenses.

Death benefits provided under O.C.G.A. § 34-9-265.

Step by Step

How a Georgia Workers’ Comp Claim Works

The system has strict steps and deadlines, and one misstep can cost you benefits. Here’s the path from injury to recovery — and where Morrison & Hughes makes the difference.

1

Report the Injury

Tell your supervisor or employer within 30 days (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-80). Report it in writing if you can, and keep a copy. Waiting too long is the single most common reason claims are denied.

2

Get Authorized Medical Care

Choose a doctor from your employer’s posted panel of physicians (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-201). Tell the doctor exactly how the injury happened and that it’s work-related so it’s documented correctly.

3

Begin Receiving Benefits

If you’re out more than 7 days, weekly TTD checks should start. If your employer or insurer disputes the claim, that’s the moment to bring in counsel.

4

File With the State Board

If benefits are denied or cut off, we file a Form WC-14 with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation — and must do so within the one-year statute of limitations (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-82).

5

Mediation & Hearing

Most disputes go to mediation; unresolved ones go before an Administrative Law Judge. We prepare evidence, doctors’ testimony, and your account to win the benefits you’re owed.

6

Resolution or Settlement

Many claims resolve through a negotiated settlement once treatment stabilizes. We make sure any settlement accounts for future medical needs and the full value of your claim.

Know the Statutes

The Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act — Key Rules & Deadlines

Georgia’s workers’ compensation system is governed by O.C.G.A. Title 34, Chapter 9. These are the provisions that most often decide whether an injured worker keeps or loses benefits. Miss a deadline, and your right to recover can vanish.

O.C.G.A. § 34-9-80

30-Day Notice to Your Employer

You must give your employer notice of a work injury within 30 days of the accident. Notice can be given to a supervisor or company official — but the safest course is to report it in writing and keep proof. Failure to give timely notice can bar your claim.

O.C.G.A. § 34-9-82

One-Year Statute of Limitations

A claim for benefits must generally be filed with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation within one year of the date of injury (or within one year of the last authorized medical treatment, or two years of the last income-benefit payment in certain cases). This deadline is far shorter than the two-year limit for personal-injury lawsuits.

O.C.G.A. § 34-9-261

Weekly TTD Rate & 400-Week Cap

Temporary total disability pays two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a statutory maximum of $800 per week for injuries on or after July 1, 2023. For non-catastrophic injuries, TTD income benefits are capped at 400 weeks from the date of accident.

O.C.G.A. § 34-9-201

Posted Panel of Physicians

Your employer must post a panel of physicians (or a managed-care arrangement) and you generally must treat with a doctor from that panel. If the panel is invalid or wasn’t properly posted or explained, you may have the right to choose your own physician.

O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200.1

Catastrophic Designation

Severe injuries — paralysis, amputation, severe brain injury, blindness, severe burns, or injuries preventing any work — can be designated catastrophic. Catastrophic claims unlock lifetime income benefits (no 400-week cap) and vocational rehabilitation services.

O.C.G.A. § 34-9-1 et seq.

No-Fault Coverage — But Limited Damages

Georgia comp is no-fault: you don’t have to prove your employer was negligent. In exchange, you generally cannot sue your employer or recover pain-and-suffering damages. The trade-off makes a separate third-party claim (against a negligent non-employer) critical when one exists.

Free Case Evaluation

Do You Have a Georgia Workers’ Comp Claim?

Answer a few quick questions. We’ll tell you whether you may have a claim, and a Morrison & Hughes attorney will call you. Free, confidential, no obligation.

Step 1 of 5

Were you injured at work or doing your job?

Sudden accidents and gradual/repetitive injuries both count.

Tell us why you are seeking legal advice

A few words about your situation helps us point you to the right attorney. There’s no obligation.

When did the injury happen?

Georgia’s filing deadline is generally one year (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-82).

Did you report the injury to your employer?

Georgia requires notice within 30 days (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-80).

What’s happening with your benefits?

Denials, delays, and cut-off checks are exactly when we can help.

One last step — send this to our team

Your answers are already written into the message below. Add your contact details, tell us anything else in your own words, and press Send Message. Nothing is sent until you do.

Common Questions

Georgia Workers’ Compensation FAQs

How long do I have to report a work injury and file a claim in Georgia?
You must notify your employer of the injury within 30 days (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-80), and you generally must file a claim with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation within one year of the date of injury (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-82). There are exceptions — for example, the one-year clock can run from the last authorized medical treatment, and a longer period can apply after the last payment of income benefits. Because the deadlines are short and easy to miss, talk to an attorney as soon as possible.
Do I have to use the doctor my employer picks?
Generally yes — Georgia requires you to treat with a physician from your employer’s posted panel of physicians (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-201). However, the panel must be valid and properly posted and explained. If your employer never posted a compliant panel, or you weren’t told about your rights, you may be entitled to choose your own treating doctor. You also have a one-time right to change to another physician on the panel.
How much will my weekly checks be?
Temporary total disability (TTD) pays two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a maximum of $800 per week for injuries on or after July 1, 2023 (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-261). If you return to lower-paying or light-duty work, temporary partial disability (TPD) pays two-thirds of the difference in wages, up to $533 per week. The exact amount depends on your wages in the 13 weeks before the injury.
How long can I receive workers’ comp benefits?
For most (non-catastrophic) injuries, TTD income benefits are capped at 400 weeks from the date of accident, and TPD at 350 weeks (O.C.G.A. §§ 34-9-261, 34-9-262). Medical benefits can continue as long as treatment is reasonable and necessary, subject to statutory limits. If your injury is designated catastrophic (O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200.1), income benefits can continue for life and you’re entitled to vocational rehabilitation.
Can I be fired for filing a workers’ comp claim?
Retaliating against an employee for pursuing workers’ compensation benefits is improper, but Georgia is an at-will state and these situations can be legally complex. If you believe you were terminated or punished because of your claim, document everything and speak with an attorney — your right to benefits for the injury continues regardless of your employment status.
What if someone other than my employer caused my injury?
You may have two separate cases. Workers’ comp covers your medical care and wage loss regardless of fault, but it does not pay for pain and suffering. If a negligent third party — an at-fault driver, a property owner, a defective-equipment manufacturer — caused your injury, you may also bring a third-party personal injury claim for the full range of damages. We evaluate both at the same time.
Is it free?
Nothing up front. We work on a contingency fee in workers’ compensation cases — attorney’s fees are limited by Georgia law and are paid only out of benefits we recover for you. The initial consultation is free and confidential, so there is no risk in calling to find out where you stand.
From the Morrison & Hughes Blog

Georgia Workers’ Compensation Resources

Practical guidance for injured Georgia workers, written by attorneys who fight insurers every day. Read these before you talk to a claims adjuster.

Related Reading

Visit the Morrison & Hughes Blog

Service Areas: Find Your Local Work Injury Attorney

We handle workers’ compensation cases statewide. Six office locations across Georgia.

Marietta Alpharetta & Roswell Decatur Hiram Fayetteville LaGrange All Service Areas

Related Practice Areas

Practice Area

Social Security Disability

When a work injury keeps you out of the workforce long-term, SSDI benefits may run alongside your comp claim. We help injured workers pursue both — and coordinate the offset.

Learn more →
Practice Area

Personal Injury

If a negligent third party caused your on-the-job injury, you may have a personal-injury claim for pain and suffering on top of workers’ comp. We pursue every avenue of recovery.

Learn more →
Practice Area

Catastrophic Work Injuries

Spinal cord injuries, amputations, severe burns, and brain injuries carry catastrophic-designation rights, lifetime benefits, and rehabilitation. This is core to our practice.

Learn more →

Hurt on the Job in Georgia? Call Now.

Free, confidential consultation — 24/7. We’ll listen, tell you what benefits you’re owed, and take on the insurance company for you.

404-LAW-TEAM

(404-529-8326)

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