You may be eligible to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits if you’ve recently been injured or diagnosed with an occupational disease while working in Thomson, Georgia.
However, the claims process can be complicated, and you’ll want to be certain that you receive the maximum benefits available under the law. That’s where the Thomson workers’ compensation lawyers at Hawk Law Group can help.
For decades, our award-winning Georgia litigators have been standing up and fighting on behalf of injured workers across the state.
We prioritize our clients’ rights over all else and work hard to hold employers and insurance companies fully accountable when a client gets hurt on the job. Our law firm has won tens of millions of dollars in benefits, settlements, and verdicts in the process.
Benefit from a team with over 71 years of collective experience handling these intricate legal matters. Call our law office in Thomson, GA to arrange a time for a free, confidential case evaluation today. Contact us or give us a call today at (706)-361-0350
How Hawk Law Group Can Help You Fight To Maximize Your Workers’ Compensation Benefits
While you may have the right to submit a claim and request benefits, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company won’t make things easy for you. They’ll make you jump through hoops and fight you at every turn, working to limit your payout. After all, the more they pay in benefits, the fewer profits they’ll realize.
Our Thomson personal injury lawyers have been going head-to-head with powerful insurance companies and employers across the state of Georgia for decades.
We’re ready to help you navigate the claims process successfully and achieve the best possible outcome in your workers’ compensation case.
When you trust our experienced Georgia trial attorneys with your claim for benefits, we will:
- Give you the much-needed opportunity to focus on recovering from your work-related injury
- Carefully investigate the circumstances surrounding your job injury or illness
- Gather evidence to support the fact that your injury or illness is job-related
- Prepare and submit necessary claims and documentation to your employer and/or the insurance carrier
- Handle settlement negotiations on your behalf
- Help you appeal a lowball offer or a rejected claim for benefits
We know that a sudden workplace injury can put you in a really tight financial situation. The cost of a workers’ compensation lawyer shouldn’t add to the stress you’re experiencing. That’s why our law firm works on contingency – we only get paid if we win your workers’ compensation claim.
Call our law office in Thomson, Georgia to learn more about how our top-rated legal team can help you achieve maximum results in your claim today.
What is Workers’ Compensation in Georgia?
Workers’ compensation is a statewide insurance system that helps to protect workers when they get hurt or sick on the job. All employers with at least three workers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance.
Under this no-fault system:
- Injured workers are entitled to benefits regardless of fault or liability, and
- Employers are protected against lawsuits when workers get hurt.
In other words, injured workers waive the right to sue their employer for work-related accidents in exchange for an accelerated path to compensation.
Do I Qualify for Georgia Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
You may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if:
- You work for an employer with at least three employees;
- You’re an employee; and
- You suffered injuries in a job-related accident or have been diagnosed with a job-related illness or disease.
Your injury will be considered “work-related” if it was sustained while you were on the clock performing tasks and responsibilities typical of your job.
For instance, injuries suffered on your work break or while traveling to and from work typically won’t be covered by workers’ compensation. However, if you get hurt in a car accident while driving because that’s part of your job, your injuries would likely be covered by your employer’s insurance policy.
What is My Workers’ Compensation Claim Worth?
It depends.
The value of your claim for workers’ compensation benefits will depend on many different factors, including:
- The type of injury you’ve sustained
- The length of time you’ll miss at work
- Your earning capacity – both before and after your accident
- How long it takes for you to reach maximum medical improvement (MMI)
- Whether you are diagnosed with a permanent impairment or disability
The more serious your injury – and the longer you need to receive benefits – the more your claim is likely to be worth.
Don’t underestimate the value of adding an experienced personal injury attorney near you in Thomson to your team. You’re more likely to maximize your claim with a trusted legal advocate handling your case. Call Hawk Law Group to discuss the details of your workers’ compensation claim today.
What Types of Benefits Can I Receive If I File For Workers’ Compensation in Thomson, Georgia?
There are two primary types of benefits that you can recover in a claim for workers’ compensation: medical expenses and lost wages. Lost wages disability benefits fall into three categories: temporary total disability (TTD), temporary partial disability (TPD), and permanent partial disability benefits (PPD).
Medical Benefits
Medical benefits are paid to cover the costs of reasonable and necessary treatment related to your on-the-job injury or illness.
Here’s the catch: you have to seek treatment from a plan-approved healthcare provider. Typically, this means that you can’t see your own doctor or have a lot of say in your treatment plan. If you seek care from a provider that’s not approved by the insurance company, you risk not getting reimbursed for those costs.
Temporary Total Disability (TTD)
Temporary total disability benefits are paid when your injury sidelines you and prevents you from working at all.
You have to miss work for at least seven days before you qualify for TTD.
In Georgia, TTD benefits equal two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to a cap. For accidents occurring on or after July 1, 2022, the maximum weekly benefit is $725.
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD)
Once you’re cleared to go back to work or exhaust your TTD benefits, you may qualify for temporary partial disability benefits.
These benefits help make up the difference between what you earned before you got hurt and the wages you’re capable of bringing home now.
TPD is calculated to equal two-thirds of the difference between your pre-and-post injury wages, subject to a statutory cap. For injuries sustained on or after July 1, 2022, the maximum weekly TPD benefit is $483.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD)
If your work-related injury causes a permanent disability or loss of a body part, you may qualify to receive permanent partial disability benefits.
PPD benefits equal two-thirds of your average weekly wage prior to your injury. The statutory cap is $725 per week for injuries sustained after July 1, 2022.
Death Benefits
If a family member is killed in a work-related accident or dies due to an occupational disease or illness, a surviving spouse or child may be eligible to receive death benefits. These can cover the costs of a funeral and/or offset the lost financial support the decedent would have provided.
Can I Sue My Georgia Employer If I Receive Workers’ Compensation?
Generally speaking, the answer is no. There are a few very limited exceptions, but they generally require evidence of intentional misconduct or gross negligence.
However, you still reserve the right to file a lawsuit against a third party that contributed to your workplace injury.
This could include a property owner, manufacturer of a defective product, co-worker, or negligent motorist.
In a third-party lawsuit, you can potentially recover compensation above and beyond what workers’ comp pays. This could include money for medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and emotional distress.
How Long Do I Have To File a Claim For Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Thomson, Georgia?
Once you’re hurt on the job in Thomson, Georgia, it’s important to notify your employer right away. You have 30 days to report your injury, and this will help to reserve your right to formally seek benefits through their workers’ compensation insurance policy.
Georgia law gives you one year from the date you’re injured (or your injury or illness is diagnosed) to submit a claim for benefits.
Do not miss the deadline. Once it passes, you lose the right to receive benefits that you need to recover.
Arrange a Free Case Evaluation With an Experienced Thomson Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Workers’ compensation benefits can help to offset the financial costs and losses associated with a workplace injury. If you’ve been hurt on the job in Thomson, Georgia, Hawk Law Group can help you exhaust your legal options and fight to maximize your financial recovery.
Call our Thomson workers’ compensation attorneys to discover how we can help you make the most of your fight for benefits.
We offer a free, no-obligation case assessment, so reach out to set up a time to speak with a member of our team today.
