Carrollton Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

People injured while on the job in Georgia are entitled to medical benefits payments and a portion of their weekly earnings.  It does not matter whether the employee or the employer is responsible for the accident.  Because Georgia is a no-fault state when it comes to workers compensation, if you are injured on the job, you are entitled to the worker’s compensation benefits.  There could be a separate claim for your injuries if the accident was caused by an individual that did not work for your employer. You should consider hiring a Carrollton workers’ compensation lawyer with experience.

Temporary Total Disability Benefits

When the doctor caring for your work-related injuries takes you completely out of work or places you on light duty and the employer does not have light duty work available, you are entitled to temporary total disability benefits or TTD.  Under this benefit level, you are entitled to two-thirds of your average weekly wage up to $525.00 per week if injured prior to July 1, 2015.  If injured on or after July, 1, 2015, you are entitled to two-thirds of your average weekly wage up to $550.00 per week.  Temporary total disability benefits are paid for up to 400 weeks as a Carrollton workers’ compensation attorney can explain.

What is Temporary Partial Disability?

When placed on light duty work and your employer has a job for you to perform, you are entitled to temporary partial disability benefits or TPD.  When injured prior to July 1, 2015, you are entitled to two-thirds of the difference between your average weekly wage prior to your injury and your average weekly wage after the injury up to $360.00 per week.  If an employee suffers injuries on or after July 1, 2015, the maximum goes up to $375.00 per week.

Permanent Partial Disability benefits or PPD is paid when a person loses the use of a body part due to a work-related injury.  Either your treating workers’ comp doctor or another authorized party will assign you a disability rating utilizing literature published by the American Medical Association.  The amount paid for PPD benefits depends upon you weekly income and what rating is given your loss.  Many times, the easiest way to understand PPD is that a third party will determine what percentage you are impaired due to the loss of use of the particular body part.

Can an Employee  Receive Workers’ Comp Medical Benefits?

Under state workers compensation statute, the employer is responsible for your medical benefits if you are injured. The responsibility of the employer includes that they pay for treatment at medical appointments, transportation to and from medical care, prescriptions, surgery, and physical therapy.

Sometimes, if the employer is following the letter of the workers’ compensation law in Carrollton, you should be presented with a list of doctors known as the “Panel of Physicians.”  Under law, if your employer presents you with such a panel that can treat your work-related injury, you can select a doctor off of the list of doctors.   The “Panel of Physicians” must have six independent facilities, including one minority and one orthopedic doctor listed for it to be valid.  If the “Panel of Physicians” is invalid, the employer loses control of the panel, and you are free to choose a doctor of your liking.

Nevertheless, if you are under the care of a doctor listed on your employer’s “Panel of Physicians” and are receiving one of the income benefits listed above, you are entitled to a one time independent medical exam or IME by a doctor of your choice.  An experienced Carrollton lawyer knows which doctors will provide the best second opinion and assistance with your workers’ compensation claim.

Georgia death benefits are paid to the spouse and/or minor children of a worker who dies on job.  A spouse and minor children are entitled to two-thirds of the deceased worker’s average weekly wage up to $525.00 per week.  A spouse with no dependent children can receive a maximum of $150,000 while minor children are entitled to death benefits until they reach age 18 (age 22 if they attend college).  In addition, Georgia workers’ compensation laws cover funeral expenses up to $7,500.00.

Our Carrollton workers’ compensation lawyers serve clients in Douglasville, Cedartown, LaGrange, Newnan, Bremen, Rome, and all over the State of Georgia.  If you have been injured on the job, contact us today.

The Parian Lawyers is committed to helping others succeed. To do so, we were excited to sponsor The Parian Lawyers West Georgia Youth Science and Technology Summer Camp Nomination. The goal of this nomination was to provide a child the opportunity to learn what an innovative career in STEM could be like. To learn more about the nomination click here.