As Atlanta has increased in size and population, Atlanta work injuries, Atlanta work accidents, and Atlanta workers compensation claims have so to increased. The workers compensation system in Georgia is complex, and an injured worker, without proper guidance from an attorney or lawyer, is, in many instances, taken advantage of by his or her employer. Given this scenario, to assist injured workers, we have prepared a 'to do list' in the event of a work accident.
Following a work accident in Georgia, no matter how minor or severe the injury, the most important thing for an injured worker to do is to report the incident to his or her acting supervisor. Georgia law requires that a work injury be reported to an employer with 30 days of the accident, and failure to do so could allow the employer to deny the workers compensation claim. As a consequence, do not hesitate in notifying your employer and be certain to indicate how the work accident occurred and the various injuries that were sustained. After reporting the accident, if you are seriously injured, request that your employer call 911 or transport you to an emergency room for immediate care. If you are not sure if you are hurt, out of an abundance of caution, seek treatment at an emergency room.
After receiving immediate care for your injuries, you should take pictures of the scene of the work accident. Employers may attempt to alter the accident scene, so it is important to document exactly what the area looked like at the time of the accident. If you don't have a camera with you, use your phone to take the pictures. It is also important to take pictures of your work injury...bruising will disappear within days, so it is critical to preserve the visual severity injury as quickly as possible.
After taking pictures of your injury and the accident scene, you should ask your employer for a panel of physicians. Georgia law allows an employer to limit the medical providers that an injured work may treat with after a workers compensation accident, but only if the employer properly posts a panel of physicians at its workplace. If the employer fails to post this panel, which is usually a pink piece of paper posted in the break room, an injured worker is allowed by law to treat with a physician of his or her choice at the expense of the employer. Also ask your employer who it's workers compensation insurance company is, and the telephone number for the insurance company's claims office. Make a note of this information for your records.
An individual who suffers a work accident in Georgia is, in most cases, entitled to three basic forms of recovery: (1) weekly checks for the wages lost as a consequence of the work injury; (2) medical care for as long as the work injury persists; and, (3) a financial sum for the permanent body function lost incidental to the work accident. Because of the complexity of the Georgia workers compensation system, however, it is very difficult for an injured worker to independently determine if he or she is receiving the proper recovery. As such, it is highly recommended that the injured worker immediately contact a Georgia or Altanta workers compensation lawyer or attorney for assistance.
The Murray Law Firm has recovered millions of dollars for individuals who have been injured in a work accident. The Murray Law Firm is based in Atlanta, and represents Clients throughout Georgia including Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Dalton, Rome, and Athens.
