As a worker in Milton, you are covered under workers’ compensation from your first day on the job. It doesn’t matter the title of your position or amount of pay you receive—if your employer is required to carry workers’ comp insurance, you should be covered. Unfortunately, many injured struggle to get the full benefits they deserve, which is where a Milton personal injury lawyer can help.
Our lawyers at John Foy & Associates have been helping injured workers win the compensation they deserve for more than 20 years. Workers’ compensation is different than other types of claims, and the process can be frustrating and complicated. We can help. Let us give you a FREE consultation to discuss your case.
To schedule your FREE consultation, call us at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online today.
Understanding Workers’ Compensation in Milton
Workers’ compensation is a government program and a type of insurance employers purchase to cover their employees when they become injured on the job. Workers’ comp is meant to provide medical care and temporary disability benefits to injured workers.
Almost every employer is legally required to carry workers’ compensation. According to the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation (SBWC), any business that employs three or more people has to have this insurance. This includes part-time and seasonal workers as long as they are regularly employed.
Although workers’ comp is purchased by your employer, you will mostly deal with the insurance company that provides it. After you file your claim, you might run into issues if the insurance company tries to offer you fewer benefits or question your claim. For this reason, most injured workers can really benefit from the help of a workers’ compensation lawyer in Milton.
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What’s Covered Under Workers’ Compensation
Depending on the details of your injuries, workers’ compensation may provide:
- Medical benefits
- Temporary disability benefits
- Permanent disability benefits
- Mileage reimbursement and/or
- Death benefits
Medical Benefits
Workers’ compensation should pay for all medical treatment that you need to receive for your work-related illness or injury. Your treatment will need to be prescribed by an authorized physician.
You cannot receive medical benefits for more than 400 weeks unless you have a catastrophic injury or certain medical devices that were provided within the 400 weeks need to be replaced later.
Temporary Income Benefits
If your work-related injury or illness prevents you from working for more than seven days, you can receive weekly income benefits through workers’ compensation. These benefits are meant to act as supplemental income as you get treatment and recover before coming back to work.
There are two types of temporary disability benefits you may receive:
- Temporary total disability benefits provide two-thirds of the average weekly wage you were making before your injury—up to $675 per week (as of July 1, 2019). There’s also a minimum payment of $50 per week. You can receive these benefits until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI) or until 400 weeks have passed.
- Temporary partial disability benefits are provided if you can return to work but are making less than before because of your work-related injury. They are worth two-thirds of the difference between your average weekly wages before and after your injury up to $450 per week (as of July 1, 2019) and for no more than 350 weeks.
Permanent Disability Benefits
When you’ve reached MMI with your treatment, you’ll be evaluated by a doctor. If they find that you have a permanent disability, you will be eligible for long-term permanent disability benefits. Those benefits will depend on the disabled body part and your percentage of disability.
Other Workers’ Compensation Benefits
You can also receive reimbursement for the miles you travel to and from medical appointments.
If you were dependent on a loved one who died because of a work-related injury or illness, you can claim death benefits that are equal to the temporary total disability rate. These will continue for as long as you’re dependent on the deceased’s income. Compensation is also available for funeral and burial expenses.
It doesn’t Matter Who Caused the Injuries
Any injury that occurs while you’re at work is covered by workers’ compensation. Unlike other types of injury claims, it doesn’t matter who was at fault or how the injury happened. Although injury accidents are more common in industries like construction, even office workers can claim workers’ compensation if they’re injured or become ill at work.
You Cannot Sue Your Employer
You also cannot bring a lawsuit against your employer under workers’ comp. In fact, that’s one of the main purposes of workers’ compensation insurance: to avoid expensive lawsuits and provide benefits to workers no matter how their work-related injuries happened.
An employer in Georgia also cannot retaliate against a worker, such as firing them or refusing to give them a promotion, just because they filed a workers’ comp claim. While good employers will be happy that workers’ compensation exists to support their employees, not everyone is that lucky.
If you experience issues getting what you deserve through workers’ compensation in Milton, don’t wait to contact an experienced workers’ comp lawyer. They can be your biggest advocate during your case and can make sure the insurance company doesn’t take advantage of you.
Speak with a Workers Compensation Lawyer in Milton, GA for Free Today
If you were hurt at work in Milton, you deserve to receive the workers’ compensation benefits that your employer bought to protect your rights. At John Foy & Associates, we’re here to make sure those rights are upheld—as we’ve been doing for countless injured workers over the last 20 plus years. It’s also risk-free to work with us because we don’t charge a fee unless we win money in your case.
Call us today at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online to get started with a FREE consultation. We’ll go over the details of your injuries, your workers’ comp coverage, and any questions you have. The goal is to get you the benefits you deserve so you can focus on recovering. Contact us online to get started for FREE and at no risk today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form