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Workers Compensation is defined as a set of laws to protect people injured at work with benefits in the form of monetary rewards to help avoid litigation/lawsuits.  The benefits also apply to dependents of workers who are killed in work accidents. The laws attempt to limit the liability of co-workers and employers from further litigation. In Atlanta, Georgia, the Georgia Board of Workers Compensation provides statutes that are specific to the state of Georgia.Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance your employer must purchase in order to cover you and your co-workers in the event of a work-related injury or accident. You should know the following regarding workers’ compensation in Georgia:

1. If your employer has three or more regular employees, including seasonal, full-time or part-time, they must carry workers’ compensation according to Atlanta’s State Board of Workers’ Compensation.
2. Your workers’ compensation provides you with medical benefits, lost wages if you can’t work for at least seven days, vocational rehabilitation benefits, and compensation for your family if your work-related injury causes your death.

Common workplace injuries in Atlanta include:

1. Falling Objects
2. Machinery Injuries
3. Repetitive Motion Injuries
4. Industrial Accidents
5. Vehicle Accidents
6. Slip and Fall Accidents

You may not qualify for Atlanta workers’ compensation benefits if:

1. You were on drugs and/or alcohol when you suffered your injury
2. Safety rules were not being followed
3. You were hurt in a personal fight, not related to work
4. Your injuries were caused by messing around or a practical joke -unless you were the victim.

It’s important to note that pain and suffering are not covered by workers’ compensation

In Atlanta.

If you suffer a work-related injury in Atlanta, you may be entitled to the following benefits such as:

1. Medical Expenses
2. Medical Treatment
3. Supplemental Income
4. Rehabilitation Support
5. Death Benefits

All of your medical expenses related to your work-related injury should be covered through your Atlanta employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Additionally, there are three types of disability benefits you may qualify for through Georgia’s workers’ compensation program.

If you can’t return to work for at least seven days after you suffer your Atlanta work-related work injury, you can be eligible for temporary total disability benefits. Here’s what you should understand about temporary total disability benefits:

1. They pay you up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage.
2. They are capped at $675.00 per week, with a minimum of $50.00 per week.
3. You may be able to receive them for up to 400 weeks or until you reach maximum medical improvement.
4. These benefits are meant to give you income while you recover from your Atlanta work-related injury. They are intended to make you healthy enough to return to work.

Atlanta workers’ compensation may provide you with temporary partial disability benefits if you can go back to work, but at a lower paying job. The injury you suffered at work, may disable you from performing specific work actions. If this is your case, your employer may offer you a different position at a reduced wage.

1. Total partial disability benefits are equal to two-thirds of the difference between the average weekly wage you made before your Atlanta work-related injury and the weekly wages you earn after your work-related injury.
2. You can receive total partial disability benefits up to 350 weeks from the date you suffered your injury.
3. Total partial disability benefits are capped at $450.00 per week.

If you suffered an extremely serious and debilitating injury at work, your doctor is going to evaluate you for permanent disability after you have recovered as much as possible.

Permanent disability rates are paid at the same rate as temporary total disability benefits, and you may be able to receive them for the rest of your life.

Georgia’s workers’ compensation system is a no-fault system, meaning that you will not have to prove fault in order to make a claim for benefits. However, your employer or your Georgia employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company could attempt to reduce what you are being paid and want you to get back to work as soon as possible.

The Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyers at The Gearhart Law Group can ensure you are being legally protected during your claim.

You should be compensated for any medical costs you incur because of your Atlanta work-related injury through workers’ compensation. The amount of monetary compensation you should receive for your medical expenses are based upon your total medical bills. They could include:

1. Your Doctor Visits
2. Your Hospital Bills
3. Prescription Medications
4. Physical Therapy
5. Gas for Travel to and from your Doctor’s Office

In Atlanta, it’s quite common for insurance companies to pay you as little as possible for your claim, and the same is true for workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation is your legal right in Georgia if you were injured in a job-related accident. To ensure your legal rights are protected and receive the full compensation you deserve, you should:

1. Report your job-related accident to your employer immediately
2. Get Medical Treatment from an Authorized Doctor As Soon As Possible
3. Keep Track of All Work Injury Expenses
4. Follow The Doctor’s Treatment Plan to the Letter
5. Call the Workers’ Compensation Attorneys at The Gearhart Law Group

At times, when you are going after an Atlanta workers’ compensation claim, settlement may be your best option. We understand that two-thirds of your weekly wages, up to $675.00 per week may help you, it’s not a lot of money. Seeking a settlement amount may be more advantageous for your long-term income needs.

In Georgia, some workers are exempt from workers’ compensation. They include:

1. Farm Laborers
2. Railroad Carriers
3. U.S. Government Agencies
4. Domestic Help

These workers have other ways available to them to be covered for work injuries. Sole proprietors and contractors are recognized as employers under Georgia law, not employees, but can be covered through their insurance company.

Most Atlanta employees can qualify for workers’ compensation if you are regularly employed by a business in the state of Georgia. However, if you were using drugs and/or alcohol at the time of your work-related injury or were in a non-work related fight, you may lose your rights to Atlanta workers’ compensation benefits.

The lawyers at The Gearhart Law Group can handle all your workers’ compensation needs. The types of workers’ compensation cases we see most often include:

1. Construction Accidents
2. Hospital Work Injuries
3. Electrocution Accidents
4. Machinery Accidents
5. Temporary Total Disability
6. Shoulder and Knee Injuries
7. Repetitive Stress Injuries
8. Burn Injuries
9. Occupational Diseases
10. Spinal Cord Injuries
11. Back Injuries
12. Lifting Injuries
13. Hearing and Vision Loss

Beth Gearhart started her attorney career working for defense firms, but she was frustrated by the lack of empathy and compassion for injured workers.  She observed the adjuster’s pushing to deny benefits while doctors favorable to the employer would push injured workers back to work too quickly.Beth Gearhart is the best-positioned attorney to achieve a positive outcome for her clients.  The main difference between a positive result and a bad settlement is the workers’ compensation lawyer.  The lawyer’s ability to understand and focus on your best interests is critical.  Please evaluate your options carefully and select an attorney that listens to you.  If you are injured at work, contact Atlanta’s best workers’ compensation attorney who listens and cares about her clients.

Atlanta is the capital of Georgia and the largest city in the state of Georgia.  Therefore, Atlanta serves as home to a variety of large employers.  Also, Beth has represented clients from The Home Depot, Delta Air Lines, United Parcel Service (UPS), NCR, Cox Enterprises, SunTrust, Southern Company, and many others.It is critical to work with an expert Georgia workers’ compensation attorney who knows the Georgia workers’ compensation laws.  There are unique laws, rules, and regulations that only apply to the state of Georgia.  As a right for work state, there are many areas where Georgia workers’ compensation law is different than laws in other states.

Atlanta has one workers’ compensation court located at 270 Peachtree Street NW, Atlanta, GA 30303.  The workers’ compensation court is run by a workers’ compensation judge that hears cases in an administrative court format without a jury.  In most cases, the employer and their insurance adjuster will prefer settling the claim outside of court.  However, it is not uncommon to go before the court or resolve matters in mediation.In Atlanta, most workers are eligible for workers’ compensation insurance starting their first day on your job. Atlanta’s workers’ compensation is designed to compensate you for your medical expenses, lost wages, and other benefits if you are injured while at work.

Workers’ compensation laws are different and unique for each state.  It takes years of specialization and working closely with the Atlanta workers’ compensation judges to understand all the laws, so you can’t hire your general practice attorney to assist you with a workers’ compensation claim.

Helping Injured Workers in Atlanta

Beth Gearhart is a passionate Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyer with over a decade of expertise in workers’ compensation.  She spent over a decade working for the defense, so she knows exactly how to counsel her clients.  Finally, Beth wanted positive outcomes for injured workers, so she started Gearhart Law Group focused on the rights of injured workers.

Must Read Post on “Your Responsibilities” as a claimant, and list of critical steps when filing for Georgia Workers’ Compensation.

Georgia Workers’ Compensation Information

Read this page on What to Know About Workers’ Compensation Attorney Settlements 

Read this post on How to Value Your Claim  

Read this page on Top 10 Injured Workers Mistakes 

Read this page on Top 10 Insurance Adjuster Tactics

Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorney

If you have been injured in a work-related accident you need a good workers’ compensation attorney by your side to ensure you receive all the monetary compensation and other benefits you deserve. The Atlanta workers’ compensation lawyers at The Gearhart Law Group, are ready to help you protect your rights and that you receive all of the workers’ compensation benefits you are entitled to.