Have you recently filed a workers compensation claim in Georgia and were denied? You may not understand what you need to do next. You are already facing a difficult situation due to your injuries. Most people expect their employer to do their best to help them in these situations. To resolve this issue, it is best to contact a Kennesaw workers’ compensation lawyer that can assist you in these situations. Understanding Georgia law relating to these claims is our area of specialty. Our law office is always willing to help people that have experienced issues with their workers’ comp claims. You can call our Kennesaw injury firm today at (770)988-6155 or fill out our contact form to schedule a free consultation.
What You Need To Do Directly After You Are Injured
Once you have been injured, it is vitally important to follow certain procedures. The very first step is to contact your employer to explain what has happened. The sooner that you are able to do this, the better off you will be. There will likely be witnesses that will have seen what has occurred, and if so, they can express that to the employer. Subsequent to informing your employer, you need to get medical attention. This is often a trip to the local emergency room to treat your injuries.
Once you have been treated, the attending physician will provide you with a list of procedures that you must follow. As this is happening, it’s also important to document everything that is occurring while it is fresh in your mind. As the process moves forward, this journal will prove to be valuable, especially if you run into complications. To assist you, you should also take photographs of your injuries that are visible, and also the scene of the accident, for future reference.
You will then need to file a workers’ compensation claim shortly after the event has occurred. Once that is done, you can then begin recuperating from what has happened.
Should You Hire A Workers’ Compensation Lawyer For A Claim In Georgia?
It may be necessary to contact a workers’ compensation attorney for a couple of different reasons. First of all, if you need legal counsel regarding filling out that form, they can assist you. However, most people contact a Kennesaw workers’ compensation lawyer because they have been denied their workers’ compensation claim.
Is It Expensive To Hire A Workers’ Compensation Attorney Georgia?
Although the cost of retaining an attorney can be high, this is not the case when working with workers comp attorneys. They work based upon a contingency fee, one that cannot exceed 25% of the total amount that you will receive of the settlement. There are no upfront or out-of-pocket costs associated with obtaining their services. Therefore, it’s very easy to contact a local Kennesaw workers’ compensation lawyer if you need help with these situations.
What If Your Workers’ Compensation Claim In Georgia Is Denied?
If your workers’ comp claim is denied, you have one recourse that is available to everyone. You can file that request for a hearing. This hearing will be in Augusta, Georgia, before an Administrative Law Judge. When you are presenting your evidence at the state board of Worker’s Compensation location, you need to have all of your evidence with you. However, if they do not approve your request, you will then need to seek legal counsel regarding the steps that must be taken to obtain a settlement.
How Long Do You Have To File A Workers’ Compensation Claim In Kennesaw Georgia?
You have exactly one year to file a claim in Kennesaw, Georgia, for workers’ compensation. This will be done on Form WC-14. If you go beyond this date, which is one year from the date of your injury, you will not be able to file a claim from that point forward. This is different from the statute of limitations in other states in which you typically have two years from the date of your injury.
Are Independent Contractors Eligible For Filing Workers’ Compensation Claims In Georgia?
In the state of Georgia, independent contractors are not eligible for filing workers’ comp claims. This is due to the fact that they are not direct employees of that company. Even if the injury did occur on the grounds of the company, they are not eligible as they are not under the direct command of the owner of that business.
How Much Can A Workers’ Compensation Claim Be Worth In Kennesaw Georgia?
When you are injured on the job, you are eligible for certain amounts of compensation. Although it is common for workers to recover, and get back to work within a couple of months, sometimes the severity of their injuries will prevent that from happening. While you are not working, you are entitled to money for your temporary disability. These benefits will include two-thirds of your normal wages, capped at a maximum of $575 per week. You have 400 weeks to receive this compensation, which is extremely long, amounting to nearly 8 years.
For more serious cases, you can settle out of court for a specific sum of money. This amount will be based upon many different factors. They will consider how much you make now, what body part was injured, and if you will ever be able to work again. The total percentage of that disability will be negotiated by attorneys, plus they will also take a new account of your current medical bills, future medical bills, and your current age. According to the Georgia PPD chart, each body part that is injured is assessed differently. Based upon that assessment, and the value of that body part and injury, they will eventually determine the settlement amount that you will receive.
Contact Our Kennesaw Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Today
Obtaining a settlement for a workers’ compensation claim can be a very long process. It is also a very difficult process to navigate for those that are not aware of Georgia workers’ compensation laws. It is always better to have an experienced Kennesaw personal injury attorney helping you along the way. That is your best chance of obtaining a settlement that is reflective of the injuries you have sustained. To contact our law offices, you can call us by phone at (770)988-6155 or simply submit a contact form to schedule your free consultation.
