Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Georgia

A work-related injury can be a horrible and terrifying experience. It often leaves a worker and their family without the means to meet the demands of living expenses.  Many families must rely on worker’s compensation. Worker’s compensation is an accident insurance program that is set in place to aid workers who become injured while on the job. Employees can receive medical assistance, lost wages, and rehabilitation for their injuries with the employee’s compensation program.

Workers’ compensation can be the help that families need to make it through an injury, but not every injury qualifies for worker’s compensation.

Workers’ Compensation Eligibility

If you are not sure if you are eligible for worker’s compensation, you should seek the assistance of a lawyer. The laws of worker’s compensation can differ between states and may be difficult to interpret at times without experience. Because worker’s compensation can be the only thing that keeps a family out of debt, the battle for the compensation should be handled by a professional. Your family may be eligible for worker’s compensation if you die due to a work-related injury. If you recover some from your injury but are unable to get a job that pays as well as your previous employment, worker’s compensation may subsidize the difference.

Workers’ Compensation Eligibility Requirements

There a few general requirements that injured people need to meet before they can qualify for worker’s compensation. First, the employer of your company must be covered by worker’s compensation. Then, you must be an employee of the corporation that has workers’ compensation coverage. Last, your injury must be directly related to your work.

Georgia requires that all employers with three or more employees have worker’s compensation coverage, so any company in the state should meet that requirement. If your boss says otherwise, you can contact a local attorney and speak to your local worker’s compensation office. An employer or business that does not supply workers’ compensation coverage is considered negligent and will be liable for damages.

Contract Work and Workers’ Compensation

Workers are often deemed to be employees of the entity they work. However, some types of employees are not officially employees of the company, often because they are independent despite giving their time and effort to the enterprise. These people are known as independent contractors. Freelance writers, volunteers, and computer consultants are all considered to be independent contractors. An employer may attempt to classify you as an independent contractor wrongfully. An attorney can assist you in learning if you are or are not considered to be an independent contractor, as well as how to argue that against your employer.

A work-related injury is deemed to be any damage or illness that occurs while following the will of your employer. However, to prove that an injury is work-related can be complicated and convoluted. Some actions are not eligible for worker’s compensation, which makes the ordeal confusing. This confusion creates gray areas where it is not entirely clear if you were following your bosses wishes or not. Some of these gray areas where you could be eligible for worker’s compensation include:

• You receive an injury while getting lunch for your boss.
• You become injured while on the company’s property.
• You become ill while attending a company sponsored picnic.

Lawyers are often needed to help you sort out the confusion so you can correctly understand your situation.

What Does Workers’ Compensation Cover?

People often believe that workers’ compensation will not cover their preexisting conditions. However, certain injuries are still considered to be work related and are covered by worker’s compensation. The injuries are things like a loss of hearing due to a noisy working environment, mental issues that arise from work-related events, and other diseases that come about from exposure to elements in your workplace are all considered to be work-related injuries.

Likewise, some injuries that seem like they might be job-related are not covered by worker’s compensation. Injuries that workers’ compensation does not include are usually the result of an employee’s negligence. Injuries that occur while violating company policy, injuries that an employee gets while under the influence of drugs and alcohol, injuries obtained while an employee was committing a crime, and self-inflicted injuries are not covered by worker’s compensation. Injuries that an employee receives while traveling to work are also not included unless the employee is going for a job to a separate site.

If you have trouble receiving worker’s compensation you deserve, seek the help of an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer in Atlanta. Many lawyers specialize in work-related injury cases, and they have the best chance at ensuring that you and your family receive the damages they deserve.