Have you sustained an injury performing a job-related task? Did your injury occur within your regular shift and at the workplace? If you have been injured at work, know that you have rights. Your rights as an injured employee in Georgia include your right to seek and receive workers’ compensation.
In Georgia, injured workers have other rights alongside the compensation to which they are entitled. According to the Georgia State Board of Workers Compensation, these include the rights to:
- Report injuries
- Know and choose an attending physician
- Receive prompt and complete medical treatment of a work-related injury
- Resume work only after being ready
- The right to receive workers’ compensation
Continue reading to learn more about your rights after being injured at work.
The Right to Report Injuries
Reporting your injuries within the appropriate time frame is not only a responsibility but a right. Your right to report your injuries is one of the most fundamental rights you have as an injured worker in Georgia.
According to the State Board of Workers Compensation, you need to report your injuries to your direct supervisor. As well, you need to do so in a timely fashion to maximize your chances of a successful work-related accident claim.
Any prohibition from reporting work-related injuries and incidents is a violation of your rights as an injured employee. If your employer bars you from reporting your injuries, you may have to seek legal assistance.
The Right to Know and Choose an Attending Physician
Once you are injured at work, your employer must prepare a list of physicians who will attend to your care. It is from this list where you will be allowed to choose the physician you think is capable of rendering medical treatment.
As per the State Board’s Bill of Rights for Injured Workers, your employer needs to have a list of at least six physicians. Once you have chosen your physician, you can remain under the physician’s care or choose another. When you choose another physician within the course of your treatment, you do not need to notify your employer.
The Right to Receive Complete Treatment of a Work-Related Injury
A physician needs to exercise due diligence in rendering complete medical care. As part of the benefits of workers’ compensation in Georgia, medical treatment is intended to hasten your return to work.
Physicians must render treatment until you reach recovery. At this point, the physician will authorize you to return to work or provide you with guidelines or limitations. These guidelines will depend on the severity of your impairment.
On the other hand, you may receive treatment until you recover to the point of maximum medical improvement. Maximum medical improvement represents the full extent of your recoveries after all medical care has been given. Maximum medical improvement can either be 100% recovery or less than that depending on the type of injury.
The Right to Return to Work
After you have recovered, you have the right under state law to return to work. Upon your return, you can choose to work the same job you did before the injury. However, if your maximum medical improvement is less than 100%, you may opt for a different kind of job.
The type of jobs you can have after being injured at work will depend upon the recommendations of the physician that treated you. In some cases, the alternative role you might have to take comes with lower pay. In this situation, you are entitled to receive up to $383 weekly as part of your workers’ compensation benefits.
The monetary benefits are given alongside your wages. The amount of the benefit cannot exceed $383. You can expect to receive this benefit for up to 350 weeks, as per Georgia’s workers’ compensation laws.
The Right to Workers’ Compensation
The right to receiving workers’ compensation encompasses when you should receive benefits and how much you should receive after being injured at work. The exact amounts to which you are entitled will depend on the severity of your injuries and the extent of impairment.
At their worst, work-related injuries entitle you to monetary benefits of up to two-thirds of your regular wages. As well, you may receive these even if you do not work. For less-catastrophic injuries, you can receive up to $383 in weekly compensation for up to six years.
Ensure That Your Rights as an Injured Worker Are Protected
Have you been injured at work in Gainesville, GA? If so, know that you have rights. However, you may need some extra help to ensure that your rights as an employee are protected.
If you have been denied workers’ compensation, do not hesitate to reach out.Call us now to receive legal counsel and representation for your workers’ compensation claim in Georgia.
