Filing a workers’ compensation claim after a workplace accident should be a straightforward process. In reality, it’s much harder than it seems, often because employers and insurance companies want to reduce your right to recover. Fortunately, Jonesboro, GA, workers’ compensation lawyers are here to play ball.
You have the right to schedule a free case evaluation with John Foy & Associates immediately following a job injury. Our personal injury lawyers in Jonesboro can guide you through the process of filing a workers’ compensation claim and fighting for fair compensation.
We’ve offered legal advice to families in Georgia for over 20 years. Our experienced attorneys don’t shy away from tough cases, which is why we’re one of Georgia’s toughest firms. We have a track record of forcing insurers to accept personal injury claims. Let us fight for your right to the compensation benefits you’re owed.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
Jonesboro employers are legally required to invest in workers’ compensation insurance to protect their employees from workplace accidents. According to compensation law outlined in O.C.G.A. § 34-9-1, worker’s compensation affords employees the right to certain benefits like medical coverage and paid work leave.
However, investing in compensation benefits costs companies money. Most corporations want to do everything in their power to avoid reducing their revenue. Some corporations cut workers’ compensation benefits despite Georgia law requiring coverage.
Even if you benefit from comprehensive accident coverage in the workplace, insurance adjusters often try to deny as many workers’ compensation claims as possible. How can you get justice for an injury when there are so many forces working against you? You can ask a workers’ compensation attorney in Jonesboro for support.
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I Was Injured – What Do I Need to Know About Workers’ Compensation?
It’s always in your best interest to take a closer look at the workers’ compensation insurance policy your employer offers. Pre-emptively understanding your benefits can keep you one step ahead of anyone who might try to deny your claim when you come forward asking for help paying your medical bills.
Most workers’ compensation insurance policies in Georgia should help injured workers like you recover from:
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries
- Temporary or permanent paralysis
- Burns, cuts, and bruises
- Dental injuries
Some workers’ compensation policies even provide support for families mourning the wrongful death of a loved one in the workplace. Anyone contending with a tragic loss in the family can connect with our Jonesboro wrongful death lawyers for support.
What Role Do Insurers Play in Workers’ Compensation Claims
Insurance companies will individually assess each comp claim that comes their way. These companies set specific rules to determine what bills they’ll pay and what costs they’ll leave for employees like you to cover.
Workers’ compensation is a system that blends together a government safety net for workers and the private insurance market. Essentially, the law in Georgia requires most employers to participate in workers’ compensation (so that virtually all employees are covered), but the actual benefits are handled by insurers, not by the government.
What Are the Advantages of Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation policies come with advantages and disadvantages. If you need financial support while you’re recovering from severe injuries, you can count on workers’ compensation to:
- Automatically provide you with coverage from the day you start a covered job
- Allow you to secure maximum compensation for your losses without filing a personal injury claim
What’s more, employees who file workers’ compensation claims automatically receive protection from retaliation. Employers in Georgia may not fire an employee who pursues support under a company insurance policy after a work-related accident.
What Are the Downsides of Workers’ Compensation?
The advantages that make workers’ compensation worthwhile come with drawbacks. These can include the following:
- You may be restricted to using certain doctors, clinics or healthcare providers based on your employer’s insurance.
- Some employers break the law by not carrying workers’ compensation insurance even though they are required to do so.
- The insurance company can attempt to deny your claim under certain circumstances—even if you were obviously hurt at work.
All of these downsides mean it’s often best to have a lawyer representing you as soon after your injury as possible.
Why Do I Need a Lawyer If I Am Automatically Covered By Workers’ Compensation?
Bringing an injury claim to your employer is always a fraught situation—even if they are legitimately working to be as fair as possible. In many cases, the insurance company will look to downplay your claim even if the employer is supportive of you.
In other cases, the employer themselves may be skirting the law. Having a Jonesboro workers’ compensation attorney on your side means that you have the power to enforce your rights.
But what can our personal injury lawyers do for you? There are three main situations where injured workers tend to want an experienced attorney on their side:
1. The Insurer Questions the Validity of Your Workplace Injury
This may be for several reasons:
Insurers Can Try to Misrepresent Your Working Status
Insurers pretend that workers fake all kinds of injuries or bring real injuries that happened at home into work to try to get benefits. Statistically speaking, this is almost unheard of, but insurers use it as a tactic to avoid paying claims.
Insurers Can Try to Claim That Your Injuries Aren’t Severe
This tactic is used to restrict how long you get benefits or what kind of benefits you get. Injured workers can feel especially vulnerable to this since the insurer is the one who chooses the doctor giving a medical opinion about your injury.
Insurers May Blame You For Your Injuries
In general, workplace injuries are covered no matter how they happened. However, there are circumstances where your claim could come under scrutiny if the insurer alleges that you were injured by your own negligence or carelessness. This is a way of attempting to deny covering your injury at all.
2. Your Employer Doesn’t Have Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Either that, or they’re being evasive about how to file a claim. If your employer is supposed to have workers’ compensation coverage and doesn’t, you cannot file an insurance claim, but you may have grounds for a lawsuit against your employer themselves.
3. You Want to Get All of the Benefits You Deserve
Workers’ compensation is a system where the whole power structure is stacked against you. You are expected to follow the rules set by the same insurance company that profits if you get paid less.
Legally, you have the power to enforce your rights, but only if you understand the system. This is why workers often get a much better outcome with a lawyer on their side than they do alone.
You are not required to have a lawyer to make a workers’ compensation claim—but it may be the single best thing you can do for yourself after your injury.
Our Workers’ Compensation Attorneys in Jonesboro Work on a Contingency Fee Basis
You don’t have to pay a deposit to work with our experienced lawyers after a workplace accident. John Foy & Associates provides Georgia residents with legal representation on a contingency fee basis. We don’t expect a retainer’s fee, and we don’t send you bills while your case is in progress.
The Strong Arm only gets paid when we win your case.
In other words, you don’t have to invest money in our legal services to start fighting for the financial compensation you deserve. If you want to file a claim for compensation, you can meet with our team free of charge to discuss what your recovery should look like.
Talk to a Jonesboro Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Free
Don’t risk missing out on the medical care and benefits you need. Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Jonesboro, GA, have helped injured workers for over 20 years, and we know how to fight insurance companies and win claims. Let us give you a FREE consultation.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form