If you work in Thomasville and become injured on the job, you are likely covered by workers’ compensation insurance through your employer. With very limited exceptions, most businesses are required to carry workers’ compensation for their workers. However, actually getting the full benefits you deserve is not so easy. For help, contact a Thomasville workers’ compensation lawyer today.
The insurance company that provides workers’ compensation benefits will likely make it more difficult to get your full benefits than it should be. Sometimes, employers also question workers’ injuries or pressure them to return to work too soon. At John Foy & Associates, we are dedicated to helping you get everything you deserve through workers’ compensation after a work injury.
Let us give you a FREE consultation and case evaluation today. We’ll look at the details of your work injury or illness, evaluate your workers’ comp claim, and discuss how we can help. Call (404) 400-4000 or contact us online to get started with your FREE consultation today.
How to Know If You Can Receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Thomasville
In Georgia, any business with three or more regular employees is required to purchase workers’ compensation insurance. It doesn’t matter if the employees are less than full-time. They can be part-time or even seasonal workers as long as they work for the business on a regular basis.
So, most employers in Thomasville must carry workers’ compensation and chances are good that you are covered.
If you’re not sure whether or not your employer has workers’ compensation coverage, you can search the State Board of Workers’ Compensation (SBWC)’s website. A workers’ compensation lawyer can also look into it for you. However, an employer should let you know about workers’ compensation coverage after a work injury.
Penalties for Not Carrying Workers’ Compensation
It’s more common than you would think for employers to not have workers’ compensation when they should. If you suspect your employer is not carrying the required coverage, contact an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer right away.
Not carrying the proper coverage is illegal, and an employer can face both civil and criminal penalties for not having coverage. The Georgia SBWC will investigate fraudulent incidents of an employer not holding the right insurance for their workers.
Receiving Medical Benefits Through Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation should cover all medical care for an employee after a work injury. To ensure your medical expenses are covered, it’s important to follow the guidelines for treatment under workers’ compensation.
Your employer should provide information about your options for medical care after you are injured at work. The information should be posted somewhere at work where employees can easily see it. There are two ways an employer can provide medical treatment options for injured employees:
- Through a Panel of Physicians listing at least six authorized physicians reasonably close to employees. Employees can change between doctors on this list once before requesting permission from the employer.
- With information on a Workers’ Compensation Managed Care Organization (WC/MCO) that self-insured employers or workers’ compensation insurers contract with for medical services.
It’s vital that you follow the correct procedures when seeking treatment after a work injury. Otherwise, you run the risk of your medical costs not being covered through the workers’ compensation policy. If you experience issues with your employer regarding the medical professional you see, contact a Thomasville workers’ compensation lawyer for help.
If you need to get emergency medical care after a work injury, those costs will generally still be covered under workers’ compensation even if the doctor was not listed or part of the WC/MCO. However, non-emergency treatment should still follow the guidelines.
Medical Costs Covered By Workers’ Compensation
Medical expenses that are typically covered under workers’ compensation in Thomasville include:
- Doctor bills
- Hospital bills
- Emergency services
- Prescription medications
- Physical therapy
- Medical devices like braces or crutches and
- Travel costs to and from medical appointments
You’ll want to keep track of all bills, receipts, and other proof of medical costs for the treatment of your work injury or illness. You’ll need documentation of the expenses that are eligible for compensation. Your workers’ compensation attorney can help you with this, as well.
Income Benefits Available Through Workers’ Compensation in Thomasville
Besides medical care benefits, you can also receive income benefits in some situations after a work injury. Income benefits through workers’ compensation provide a weekly supplemental paycheck to help you with wages as you recover and prepare to return to work.
You cannot receive income benefits unless your work injury or illness prevents you from working for more than seven days (Georgia Code section 34-9-220). If you are temporarily disabled from working for longer than that, you can get compensation for the first seven days of missed work if you miss 21 consecutive days of work.
Temporary Total Disability Benefits
Income benefits through workers’ compensation are equal to two-thirds of your average weekly wage—or up to $675 per week (as of July 1, 2019). You will typically receive these benefits until you’ve recovered as fully as possible with medical treatment and can return to work, or until 400 weeks have passed.
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits
If you are able to return to work after your work injury but are now earning less because of the injury, you are eligible for temporary partial disability benefits. These are equal to two-thirds of the difference between the average weekly wage you were making before your injury and the average weekly wage you are now making—up to $450 per week (as of July 1, 2019).
You cannot receive temporary partial disability benefits for more than 350 weeks.
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Speak with a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Thomasville, GA for Free Today
Workers’ compensation benefits should be easy to receive after a work injury, but many workers struggle to get the full compensation they deserve—or they face pressure to get back to work too soon. If you need help with your workers’ compensation claim in Thomasville, John Foy & Associates is here to help.
We have been helping injured workers with their cases for more than 20 years, and we do not charge you a fee unless we win your case. Call us at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online and we’ll get started with a FREE consultation.
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