Dawsonville Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Workers’ compensation was originally set up to protect Dawsonville employees and their families if a personal injury occurs on the job. And when it works, it’s a great resource to help you. However, it’s not uncommon for workers to experience problems getting the benefits they deserve after an injury on the job.

The insurance company providing the workers’ compensation coverage will often try to reduce costs for themselves and the employer—living the worker with less than that expected or need to recovery for their injuries. This is why working with a Dawsonville workers’ compensation lawyer is highly recommended.

At John Foy & Associates, we’ve helped countless employees in Dawsonville and throughout the state of Georgia receive their workers’ compensation benefits after their injuries.

With over two decades of experience, we know how to figure out a good estimate of the benefits you deserve based on your situation. If you’re ready to start getting help today, you can speak to one of our attorneys for a FREE consultation.

Just give us a call at (404)-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right for your free consultation right away..

How does Workers’ Compensation work in Dawsonville?

There are two main purposes of workers’ compensation in Georgia:

1. To get you the care you need after your injuries
2. To avoid having to go through expensive lawsuits after you’re injured on the job

Workers’ compensation should provide certain benefits to every worker who gets hurt while doing their job.  Those benefits include:

• Access to medical treatment. Any medical treatment you require for the injuries you suffered should be paid for by your employer’s insurance company that offers the workers’ compensation insurance. That includes things like doctor visits, tests or scans, hospital stays, prescription medication, and more.
• Pay for missed work. If you have to miss a week or more of work because of your injury, workers’ compensation provides some pay—not the full paycheck amount, but a tax-free amount—for the time during your recovery. What you receive will be two-thirds of your normal take-home pay, up to a $550 maximum. However, you may quality for more payment if your injury is deemed permanent.
• Travel costs. Workers’ compensation should reimburse you for expenses, at 40 cents per mile, related to traveling to and from the doctor and other related essential trips. 
• Rehabilitation expenses. If you suffer an injury that needs some type of ongoing rehabilitation, such as physical therapy, workers’ compensation should cover that too.

If your injury leads to a disability after returning to work, you may qualify for additional benefits, such as:

• Vocational rehabilitation, which helps you learn how to perform your job duties
• Disability payment if you have a partial disability after recovery

If you’re wanting to file for workers’ compensation after an injury, please note that the deadlines for the state of Georgia are very strict.  Here’s what you need to know:

• You must report your injury to your employer within 30 days. And be detailed. Even if an injury seems small or minor, we recommend reporting it too. This creates a record of the problem and is very helpful if something minor turns into something more serious than you initially realized.
• A workers’ compensation claim must be filed within one year. And the earlier, the better. Your attorney will want to gather as much information as possible, including testimonies from supervisors or coworkers, and people’s memories get clouded quickly as time goes by. It’s best to get your claim filed as soon as possible after the injury occurs. A year may seem like a long time, but it goes by fast.  Speak with a Dawsonville workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as you can to get things moving in your favor.

Are All Injures that Happen at Work Covered by Workers’ Compensation in Dawsonville?

Generally, yes. If the injured happened at work, and if you are eligible for worker’s compensation at all, then it should be covered no matter what type of injury is was. The most common injuries leading to workers’ compensation claims include:

• Back and/or neck injuries
• Joint pain
• Burns
• Broken bones
• Hearing loss
• Machinery accident-related injuries
• Injuries resulting from accidents during business-related travel

Many injuries on workers’ compensation claims are related to those in the construction business, such as something falling on you, electric shocks, or getting stuck in between vehicles or equipment. However, we’ve worked with clients pursuing workers’ compensation claims in all sorts of work settings, including restaurants, white collar businesses, and everything in between.

What If My Employer Is Saying They don’t Have Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Under Georgia law, employers in Dawsonville and throughout the state with three or more employees are required to carry a workers’ compensation insurance policy.  The insurer pays the claim, not the employer themselves.

Note that you absolutely cannot sue your employer in a workers’ compensation claim related to an on-the-job injury, even if they told you they aren’t carrying the insurance needed — the local courts will reject this kind of lawsuit.

However, you can pursue legal action against them. If they don’t hold the necessary insurance to cover your injuries on the job, they should be held accountable for it. And it’s actually more common than you think to have this happen, so get in touch with a workers’ compensation lawyer right away to help you.

Talk to a Dawsonville Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Free

Don’t delay getting help when your health and emotional well-being is on the line. Since all employers are required to keep you covered through workers’ compensation insurance, you deserve financial recovery for any injuries that occurred during your job.

So if you suffered an injury that requires medical treatment, it’s time to speak with one of our Dawsonville workers’ compensation lawyer at John Foy & Associates. Our 20+ years of experience working workers’ compensation cases make us more than qualified to help you pursue a claim to assist in your recovery.

And we’d love to offer you a FREE consultation to discuss your case. Just give us a call today at (404)-400-4000 or fill out the form to your right for your free consultation.