Got Hurt on the Job at an Amazon Warehouse in Georgia? Discover Your Compensation Rights.
Georgia has workers’ compensation laws designed to help injured employees get medical treatment and financial compensation from their employers.
So, if you ever get hurt on the job at any Amazon warehouse or fulfillment center in Georgia, you can get compensated for your injuries. Discuss your rights with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to explore your best options under Georgia labor laws.
Working at an Amazon Warehouse Is a Dangerous Occupation.
Amazon warehouse workers are doing a tough job. The warehouse is hot, crowded, and loud. And at times, it can be difficult to hear or understand coworkers’ instructions.
Working at an Amazon warehouse in Georgia is like going for an intense workout every day. That, coupled with unsustainable work expectations and long hours, makes Amazon a dangerous place to work. Because of this, many warehouse workers suffer injuries on the job.
Amazon has a high turnover rate because of high injury rates, strict monitoring systems, low chances of promotion, and more. And with a weekly turnover rate of 3% (or 150% yearly), Amazon burns through workers so fast that they might run out of people to employ! And the reason for this is not farfetched.
For example, Amazon expects pickers to pick 4,000+ items in a 10-hour shift with only two 30-minute breaks. To put this in perspective, Amazon pickers must pick about 445 items an hour. With repetitive motion, unrealistic expectations, and strict monitoring, Amazon pickers become sore and wear out on the job.
This kind of work is tedious, and workers can die of exhaustion—there is a record of up to 4 recorded deaths in Amazon fulfillment centers in 22 days. Amazon also experienced about 40,000 reported work-related injuries in 2021, a 20 percent increase from work injuries in 2020.
So, despite raking in more than $400 billion in annual sales revenue in 2021, a company with a market capitalization of $1 trillion is doing little to nothing to improve worker safety! And while they claim to have an open-door policy, nothing ever gets done. This is why you need to fight for your rights!
Afraid to Go Against Amazon for Your Rights? We Understand!
While there’s no denying that Amazon could be a very dangerous workplace, you may have doubts about going after Amazon for your compensation following a work-related injury.
Let’s face it: Amazon is extremely wealthy and powerful. They’re also known for their aggressive business tactics, which can sometimes be intimidating and make it difficult for employees to speak up about their rights.
In addition, they have the resources to fight back against their injured employees in court if necessary. Additionally, their lawyers could threaten employees with legal action if they try to sue Amazon for damages caused by injuries sustained on the job.
But Amazon isn’t above the law—and neither are their attorneys. So, if you get hurt on the job at Amazon, you should discuss your rights with an experienced attorney in Georgia and file a claim for workers’ compensation.
What Should I Do? I Was Hurt While Working for Amazon!
Getting hurt is unfortunate, but sometimes life happens. So, if you get hurt while working at Amazon, you must know what to do next. This way, you can take all the right steps and get the compensation benefits you deserve.
If you were injured on the job at Amazon as a fulfillment associate, warehouse sorter, operator, warehouse technician, supervisor, order picker/packer, etc., you should fully understand your rights regarding your workers’ compensation benefits.
You must do these four important things following an on-the-job injury at Amazon.
- Seek immediate medical help
- Report your injury to your supervisor or manager
- Contact an expert workers’ compensation attorney in Georgia.
- Gather evidence and documentation
1: Seek Medical Help
The first thing to do after a workplace injury is to seek medical help immediately. But your first call should not be to your personal or family doctor. Instead, you should visit the workers’ comp physician panel on the work premises.
If your injuries are severe or not onsite (e.g., an Amazon delivery driver), you should visit the nearest emergency room or call 911 before reporting to the onsite physicians. If there’s no workers’ comp physician on the premises, your doctor can treat you at your employer’s expense.
2: Report Your Injury to Your Manager
After getting the medical attention you need, you should report your injury to your manager or supervisor within 30 days of the incident, specifying the date and location of the accident.
If you cannot report your injury immediately, you can get a trusted coworker to report it for you. It is essential to report your injuries as soon as possible because failing to document the injury properly might affect your workers’ compensation benefits.
3: Contact an Experienced Workers’ Compensation Attorney
After an injury, it is important to protect your rights. But navigating a worker’s compensation claim alone can be complex and frustrating. So, you need an experienced Georgia workers’ compensation lawyer to help you. And this is where we come in.
At Gearhart Law Group, we have more than 20 years of experience doing one thing: litigating workers’ compensation claims. With our skills, experience, and passion, we are all the representation you need!
4: Gather Evidence and Documentation
In Georgia, workers’ compensation is a no-fault system, so you don’t have to prove that anyone was at fault for your workplace injury to be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
However, you should gather evidence to show that your injury happened while you were working and that a pre-existing condition didn’t cause it. This is because with evidence that your injury happened while at work, insurers cannot make excuses or doubt where the injury happened.
Some critical evidence and documentation you should show your attorney relating to your case include the following:
- Copies of medical records
- Photos of the injury
- Pictures of the area where the injury occurred (if possible)
- A description of what happened
- A witness (usually a coworker).
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What Benefits Are Available to Injured Amazon Employees?
If you’ve been injured while working at Amazon, you may wonder what workers’ compensation benefits you have. Since Georgia uses a “no-fault” workers’ comp system, you don’t have to prove that Amazon (or any Amazon employee) is liable for the injuries you sustained to get compensation benefits.
The benefits you get in case of an injury include the following:
- Lost wages: Georgia law requires employers to provide employees with temporary total disability (TTD) or temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits.
- Medical bills and rehabilitation expenses: Your employer must provide you with medical care and rehabilitation services while you recover from your injury. This includes physical therapy and counseling sessions related to managing post-injury pain.
- Funeral and burial costs (in fatal work accidents): Employers have to cover funeral and burial costs for employees who lost their lives in an on-the-job accident.
- Travel expenses: Your employer must provide travel expenses that mileage to and from doctor’s appointments, pharmacy visits, physical therapy sessions.
Keep in mind that compensation claims are subject to time limits. If you were injured while working for Amazon, you have 30 days to report the accident to your supervisor. Also, you will lose your right to compensation unless you file the claim within one year of the date of injury.
What Are Common Injuries Among Amazon Workers?
Amazon has hundreds of thousands of employees working in its warehouses, making it one of the largest employers in the United States. However, thousands of workers work incredibly hard under the crushing demand of customers to get items packed up and shipped to their doors.
While some workers incur injuries due to the repeated, robotic-like activities, they must execute, others result from not implementing safety regulations like wet floors or cluttered passages.
Examples of some of the routines and dangerous duties that cause injuries include:
- Driving a vehicle while avoiding forklifts
- Lifting heavy objects
- Climbing steep ladders to carry objects
- Handling conveyor belts while working
- Repeated lifting and movements
- Order packing and order sorting
- Using pallet jacks and pallets
- Product unpacking and stocking
- Driving and package delivery
Consequently, Amazon workers exposed to any of those tasks are prone to the following injuries:
- Strains from lifting heavy items.
- Sprains
- Ladder injuries
- Repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome from repetitive motions of the hands and wrists.
- Slips, trips, and falls due to wet floors
- Back and leg injuries due to extended standing position
- Dog bites by delivery drivers in customers’ homes
- Vehicle accidents and collisions with objects like fence posts
- Accidents from unsafe or malfunctioning equipment
- Accidents due to poor communication from loud noises at the facility
- Accidents caused by a coworker in the warehouse.
Do You Need an Attorney to Get Your Workers’ Comp Benefits from Amazon?
If you work for Amazon, you should claim your rights if you’re injured. And yes, you need an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to help you for several reasons. For example, your injury can make it difficult to represent yourself adequately.
Also, the process involved in workers’ compensation claims is pretty complex. Large companies, like Amazon, usually deny or lowball work injury claims to protect their profits at the employees’ expense.
So, Amazon will not automatically provide you with your compensation benefits simply because they are required to do so. And since Amazon will only go down with a fight, you might not be able to get the best result for your case.
So, to get benefits that cover the damages, you will need expert legal representation to help navigate complex workers’ compensation policies and ultimately do what’s best for you and your family. And this is where Gearhart Law Group comes in.
At Gearhart Law Group, we help you review your case and explore your best options to get the most out of your compensation claim. We have a proven track record of defeating behemoths and winning huge compensation for people like you! In addition, we have positive ratings from previous clients, local knowledge, and litigation and mediation experience—all the things you need to look for when hiring a workers’ compensation defense attorney.
So, if you ever need an expert attorney in Georgia following an on-the-job injury, don’t hesitate to inform us!
