No one wants to sustain an injury in the workplace, but the reality is that these incidents occur regularly. The good news is that the workers’ compensation insurance laws in Georgia specify that just about every employee is entitled to workers’ comp benefits if they sustain an injury on the job. However, that does not mean that securing these benefits will be easy, but there are steps you can take after sustaining a workplace injury to help maximize the compensation you receive.
Steps to Take After an Accident at Work
To ensure that you receive maximum workers’ compensation benefits for your claim, you need to do the following after you sustain an injury:
- Seek medical treatment as soon as possible. By seeking immediate medical treatment, you are establishing a link between your work injury and the incident in question. If you delay seeking medical treatment, this could be a reason for your employer or insurance provider to deny the claim.
- Report the injury to the employer. It is very important that you tell your employer about your injury as soon as possible so that they can begin the workers’ comp process. In Georgia, this must be done within 30 days, but it is highly recommended you do so as soon as you can.
- Consult with doctors specified by the employer or insurer. There will very likely be certain physicians that you are required to see in the event you sustained an injury on the job. If you seek treatment from a different medical provider, this could be a reason to deny or delay your claim.
Mistakes That Can Jeopardize Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
There are various mistakes that an injured worker could make that could jeopardize their claim. Some of the three biggest mistakes to avoid include the following:
- Failing to report the injury. This is the biggest mistake that a person can make if they want to receive workers’ compensation. In general, a work injury needs to be reported as soon as possible after it occurs.
- Waiting to seek treatment. Any delay in seeking medical treatment after sustaining a work injury will give an employer or insurance carrier a reason to deny the claim.
- Filling out an incomplete or inaccurate application. In many cases, an employer will be the one to fill out the proper forms for the workers’ compensation insurance claim. However, if the employee is required to fill this out, they should do so accurately and promptly.
It’s in your best interest to speak with a workers’ compensation attorney in Coweta County as soon as possible, a legal expert can help you with your claim and prevent any mistakes from jeopardizing it.
How a Workers Compensation Lawyer Can Help You
A skilled workers’ compensation insurance attorney in Georgia is going to be an invaluable asset for your case, particularly if your claim has been delayed or denied unnecessarily. An attorney will have the resources needed to conduct a full investigation into your claim. This will include gathering all evidence related to the incident, such as photo or video surveillance, statements from eyewitnesses, accident reports, company memos, and more.
A lawyer will work with trusted medical and economic experts to help calculate an injured worker’s total losses and then negotiate with the insurance carrier and/or employer involved in order to reach a fair settlement on behalf of the injured worker.