What to Do After a Workplace Injury

Immediately after a workplace injury, seek the medical attention. Leave no stone unturned as this is your highest priority. If your injury is not an emergency, file a report with your employer first because your employer may have a preferred doctor that you should see. In Georgia, you must inform your employer within 30 days of the injury.  Even if your injury happened at the end of a work shift, tell a supervisor where on your body you have pain.  If your injury is an emergency, do not hesitate to call for an ambulance or to have a coworker do the same.If you see a doctor before reporting your injury, make sure to report your injury as soon as possible thereafter. Workers compensation insurance companies will give you more problems when handling your claim if you took too long to report your injury to your employer. Make this your second highest priority in the process of responding to any workplace injuries in Georgia.  It is a good idea to give the Employer written notice of the injury and always keep a copy of anything you give to another person.After reporting your injury, you should talk to a lawyer who handles work accident cases. You may even choose to hire a lawyer before reporting your injury if you have reason to believe that you will need legal representation from the start. In most cases, however, you do not need legal help until you begin preparing for a claim. Remember that a claim is different than a report. You report your injury to your employer, but you file a claim with the workers compensation insurance company as soon as you need help paying your medical bills.

Workplace injuries in Georgia are difficult to navigate, but the good news is that your employer is required to have workers compensation insurance if they employ three (3) or more employees. Of course, you need a good workers compensation lawyer to help you exercise all of your rights. This area of law is  complex, and so it is quite helpful to have someone on your side who can counsel you about your legal options and who can represent you when communicating with the insurance company.

The most important thing to remember about hiring a workers compensation lawyer is the principle of promptness. If you do not file your claim in a timely manner, any insurance company providing workers compensation in Georgia will question the relation between your injury and your visit to the doctor. They may accuse you of being hurt outside of work to pay for a non-work related medical bill. By hiring a lawyer as soon as possible, you can know that your claim will be handled in the ideal manner.

The legal matters associated with workers compensation in Georgia are complicated, but with the help of a lawyer, you can receive the benefits to which you are legally entitled. Our workers compensation lawyers deal with these issues every day and at Powers Law Group we are here to help you.  There is no reason for you to go through a workplace injury alone.