Georgia Workers Compensation Lawyers

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What to do if you are hurt at work?

You must immediately report the injury to your supervisor or to the company so that they can prepare an incident report. Be sure to report the time and date of the injury as well as the other details, such as where you were when injured and how the injury happened. If the injury is serious, call 911 and ask to go to the hospital ER. Get the names and phone numbers of any witnesses.

How long do I have to report an injury?

Report an injury as soon as possible. The sooner the better. Georgia law allows up to 30 days to report an injury on the job but the longer you wait the more problems usually arise. The employer and its insurance company normally dispute claims when the injury is not promptly reported because they claim the injury occurred away from the job.

My boss will not draft an injury report and has insinuated he will fire me.  You need to file a workers compensation claim quickly. Contact our office to assist you in filing a claim.

After I was injured, my boss sent me home and has not let me return to work on light duty.  Most employers do not like workers compensation claims and see you as a liability. Their goal is get you released back to work so they can fire you. You need to speak with an experienced lawyer to determine your rights.

How much does it cost to get legal help?  Our firm does not charge you any money up front to represent you in a workers compensation case. The Georgia State Board of Workers Compensation has to approve any legal fees in a workers compensation case and the legal fees cannot exceed $25,000 of any settlement. We will not get paid any legal fees in our case until you get paid.

How much in weekly wages can I recover?  If your workers compensation claim is accepted by the insurance company, you will receive a weekly payment equal to two-thirds (2/3) of your average weekly wage up to $500/weekly.

Does My Employer Get to Choose My Doctor.  Georgia law allows your employer to decide in advance what medical providers and doctors initially see the employees injured on the job and these doctors and clinics are supposed to be on a Posted Panel of Physicians. The Posted Panel must have at least 6 medical providers and one must be an orthopedic doctor. However, if you injury requires emergency care Georgia law will allow you to go to an emergency room but once the emergency is over you will have to go to one of the doctors on the Posted Panel of Physicians.

If you employer has not posted a panel of doctors or your employer’s panel does not meet the requirements of Georgia law, then the law allows you to seek treatment where you wish and the insurance company must pay for the treatment. However, you can expect a big fight on this issue so we recommend you start with doctors on the Posted Panel in most cases. Georgia law does give injured employees a limited chance to change doctors to a doctor of the employee’s choosing.

Will the Insurance Company spy on me? Many insurance companies hire private investigators to follow workers compensation claimants in hope of getting a video of the injured employee that they can use to claim the employee is faking or exaggerating his or her claim. A video of an employee working in the yard is only for a few seconds but it does not show the hours of pain and discomfort the work may have caused. Also, insurance companies have started looking on internet sites such as MySpace and Facebook to find information to use against injured workers. If you file a workers compensation claim, you should expect the insurance company to try to spy on you to help them save money on your claim. Do not do any activity that can be misconstrued as twisted and used against you.

How much is my case worth?  Some cases are worth more than others. Do not let the insurance company tell you what your case is worth. The insurance company’s goal is to save money and to pay you as little as possible to save the company money.

You really need an experienced workers compensation lawyer to help you determine when to settle and how to settle your case. There is no claim for pain and suffering in workers compensation cases. You can recover for past, present and future medical care, weekly wages and disability. The time to settle is very important so you do not leave money and benefits on the negotiating table.

Our workers compensation lawyers will be happy to discuss your case with you, in a free no risk and no obligation consultation. Call us now at 678-CHAPMAN (678-242-7626) to schedule yours today.