If you were injured on the job or have a work-related injury, your company may be responsible for your medical bills and lost wages. Georgia requires all employers with three or more employees to have workers’ compensation coverage. This works as a safety net for both the employer and employee. The employee’s medical costs and some of his or her lost wages are covered, and the employer cannot be sued by the employee. Below, you can find out more about the benefits you may be entitled after an on-the-job injury.
After suffering an injury at work, a Savannah workers’ compensation lawyer at Roden Law can help determine what benefits you are entitled and explain your rights throughout the legal process.
Medical Expenses
Workers’ compensation claims can be based on injuries sustained while at work or occupational diseases that arise after a period of time, often from repetitive activities.
Generally, the injured worker is entitled to compensation for medical treatment related to his or her occupational injury or illness. This includes current and future treatment to help you make the best recovery possible. This can also include transportation to and from medical appointments. Medical expenses usually include both.
Temporary/ Permanent Benefits
Some accidents lead to a short-term or long-term disability. There are four categories of disabilities under the workers’ compensation system:
- Temporary total disability prevents the individual from doing any work for a limited time. The worker has the ability to eventually recover. Compensation for this type of disability is equal to two-thirds of your average weekly wage from before your injury.
- Temporary partial disability stops a person from performing his or her standard amount of work for a short time, but he or she can still do some work. In other words, the employee may be limited to working for a certain number of hours or only doing certain tasks while in recovery. The workers’ compensation system provides compensation worth two-thirds of the difference between current earnings and average weekly wages before the injury.
- Permanent partial disability is a permanent problem that will impair the employee’s ability to work for the rest of his or her career. The amount you receive is the same you receive for a temporary partial disability and the duration depends on the type of injury you suffered.
- Permanent total disability is so extensive that the employee cannot come back to the same job or do any other type of work. The individual is usually still functional but unable to continue working. Victims receive two-thirds of their average weekly wage from before they were hurt for the rest of their lives.
Vocational Rehabilitation
Rehabilitation helps the patient recover and attempt to get back into the physical shape he or she was in before the injury occurred. Employers are required by law to offer vocational rehabilitation services when workers suffer from catastrophic injuries. Vocational rehabilitation covers training that may become necessary to either regain the skills to continue in the same job or to help the person return to work at another employer or in another field. For instance, employees could have access to on-the-job training, interview coaching, help writing a resume, assistance with a job search and career counseling services, among other things.
Injured on the Job? Contact a Qualified Lawyer Today
Here at Roden Law, our attorneys can support you throughout the workers’ compensation process, including going through an appeal when a claim is denied. We have extensive experience working on these types of claims and know how to build a strong case for why you deserve benefits. We understand this is a difficult situation, so there will be no attorney fees unless we are able to get you the compensation you need. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.