Macon Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Due to recent safety protections, industrial improvements, and federal, state, and local regulations, workers in Georgia and around the country are at considerably less risk today than in years past. However, workplace accidents still occur in Macon. These accidents can result in physical pain, emotional trauma, and costly medical bills.

Fortunately, local and federal Workers’ Compensation laws cover most workplace injuries and illnesses. However, Workers’ Comp laws are complicated and hard to understand. Failure to comply with any of the precise procedural steps could be disastrous, which is why having a trained Workers’ Compensation attorney is vital.

If you or your loved one recently suffered an on-the-job injury, it is critical that you speak with a Macon Workers’ Compensation lawyer as soon as possible to preserve your rights and learn about your legal options.

An Explanation of Macon Workers’ Compensation Laws

According to Georgia law, most employers need to purchase workers’ compensation insurance for their employees or arrange to self-insure those employees. This insurance is intended to protect employees who sustain work injuries or develop illnesses relating to their regular job duties. Workers’ comp insurance protects employees by providing them with a medical insurance plan that covers all of their reasonable medical costs relating to their job-related illness or injury. If the injury or illness prevents the employee from working either temporarily or permanently, state workers’ comp laws also provide the injured worker with access to a certain percentage of their wages.

Workers’ Compensation claims are different from other personal injury claims. In a personal injury suit, an injured claimant must prove that the defendant did something to cause their injury. Workers’ comp claims do not require proof of fault. Like most states, Georgia operates with a no fault, no blame standard, which allows an injured worker to recover benefits even if they were partially or wholly at fault for causing their own injuries.

Under law, an injured worker needs to follow the correct procedural steps to receive benefits. Generally, they need to report their injury to their employer, document it with a medical provider, and file the right paperwork. Because filing a claim can be complicated, speaking with a Macon Workers’ Compensation lawyer as early as possible is beneficial.

Injured workers also need to understand that the benefits that they can receive under Workers’ Compensation laws are, for the most part, exclusive. Workers cannot pursue compensation against their employers in personal injury suits simultaneously. However, if a third party (someone who cannot be considered your employer) contributed to the injury, then the injured employee could pursue a separate legal claim against that third party for pain and suffering, and much higher compensation for what they have lost.

Frequent Types of Workplace Injuries

Employees can collect benefits for both acute injuries and chronic illnesses as long as the injuries or illnesses occur in the course of their job duties.

Sudden Injuries

Employees frequently collect benefits after on-the-job accidents. These accidents can occur in settings like construction sites where there is heavy lifting and dangerous machinery. They can also occur in office settings, such as when people slip and fall. Most commonly, workers’ compensation insurance covers people for the following types of injuries:

Back injuries
Fractured bones
Lacerations
Burns
Head and brain injuries

Macon Workers’ Compensation attorneys know how to investigate workplace accidents to help injured workers receive their rightful benefits.

Chronic Injuries

Workers in Macon can also collect benefits when they sustain chronic injuries resulting from their job. Often, workers develop repetitive-use injuries, such as tendonitis or carpal tunnel syndrome. Workers’ comp insurance also covers hearing or vision loss, cancer, or other illnesses relating to exposure to toxic substances or fumes.

Knowledgeable local lawyers could help someone explain how their job duties caused or contributed to their losses.