Companies depend on the labor of their workers, and workers depend on the company to provide them with safe working conditions. Even with the highest level of precaution, however, on-the-job accidents can still occur, which is why all states, including Georgia, have implemented a workers’ compensation system.
Filing a workers’ comp claim may seem straightforward, but workers nevertheless have a tangled web of legal obligations and procedural red tape to get through. An Alpharetta personal injury attorney can provide the guidance and support needed to navigate these complexities. Without the right advocacy, they may get an incomplete diagnosis or fail to claim all relevant benefits for their injury. Without the right advocacy, they may get an incomplete diagnosis or fail to claim all relevant benefits for their injury.
This is where hiring a professional workers’ compensation lawyer comes into play. The CEO Lawyer, Ali Awad, is ready to protect your rights as an injured employee.
Attorney Awad and his team are equipped with the knowledge to guide you through your workers’ compensation process. His authority on legal matters has garnered him millions of followers on social media, and having him on your side means you are in good hands.
You deserve to get duly compensated for your work accident. Schedule a meeting with one of the best workplace injury and accident lawyers in Alpharetta.
Reach out to us at 833-254-2923 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation today.
Why You Should Hire an Alpharetta Workers Compensation Attorney
Legal representation is very critical when you’ve been involved in a work-related accident. The process of filing claims is often complex, and it can be confusing to fully know and understand all of your rights.
A workers’ compensation lawyer is well-versed in workplace injury claims and can guide you through each step, ensuring that you get the compensation you truly deserve from your employer.
In situations where your employer or their insurer denies that your injury occurred in the work environment, you will need an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to help you link your injury with your workplace duties in order to ensure that you get all the benefits you truly deserve.
If workers’ compensation does not cover certain aspects of your care, your attorney can work closely with you to identify any other parties that hold liability as well as other possible sources of compensation. If your claim is against a third party, such as a contracted maintenance crew or the designer of your work building, you will need to have an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer on your side to help determine the best strategy to pursue your claim.
The services we render at the CEO Lawyer Personal Injury Law Firm include:
- A complete examination of the circumstances behind your accident
- Identification of all prospective sources of compensation
- Representation and assistance while you submit a work-related accident claim
- Information on your rights, such as to a secondary medical opinion
- A precise assessment of your damages based on your medical records and prognosis
- Bargaining with insurance representatives on your behalf
- Referrals to reputable medical professionals who can treat your condition and help you recover without charging you in advance
- Handling your denied workers’ compensation claims.
- Allowing you to focus on your recovery process while assisting you in all aspects of the claim process, including keeping you informed of our progress.
How to Know You Are Covered and Eligible for Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Knowing if you are eligible for the workers’ compensation benefit under the laws of Georgia is simple. The most important thing is that you sustained your injury while on duty.
As long as your injury occurred while performing a task that is associated with your job description or that was directly requested by superiors, you’re eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Generally, only fully-fledged employees are covered and eligible for a workers’ compensation benefit. So, in a situation where a freelancer or a contractor gets injured, he or she would not be able to file a claim for a worker’s compensation benefit as they’re not covered by it.
There are other scenarios where someone injured in a work-related incident might not be able to claim workers’ compensation benefits, and they include:
- The Injury was not work-related
- Fraudulent misrepresentation of an injury or illness
- The injury or illness was intentional
- Injury and illness are caused while the employer is intoxicated or under the influence of a substance
- Refusal to seek medical care
- The injury could be attributed entirely to an underlying health condition
Common Causes of Workplace Accidents and Injuries
Depending on the kind of workplace environment, workplace injury can vary greatly. However, some workplace injuries can cut across all types of working environments. Here are some common workplace injuries:
Overexertion and Bodily Reaction
There are different ways in which workers can over-exert themselves. This can happen when workers physically push themselves too hard.
Working in an improper space, carrying too much weight, using worn-out tools, and doing the same thing over and over again without taking any form of break can cause you to over-exert yourself and cause a minor or severe bodily reaction.
Exposure to Harmful Substances
While working, some workers are constantly exposed to toxic and harmful substances that can affect their health. These types of exposures can include radiation and noise, electricity, traumatic work events, extreme temperature, lack of oxygen, water change, toxic fumes, and other harmful substances.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
These are some of the most common workplace accidents that can happen. They can be associated with every workplace environment, ranging from offices to construction sites, transportation, warehouse industries, and more.
Slips and falls can be caused by wet and slippery surfaces, clutter, uneven surfaces, improper footwear, poorly maintained stairs, lack of proper lighting, and other circumstances. They can lead to various workplace injuries, including sprains and strains(tearing of ligaments or muscles), fractures, contusions and abrasions, head injuries, back and spinal cord injuries, and dislocation of a major joint.
Contacts With Objects and Equipment
Workplace injuries can happen when workers come in contact with workplace equipment, putting them in extreme danger. Dangerous situations include getting hit by a moving object, a part of a worker getting squeezed, compressed, or crushed, or being caught under a collapsing structure or object.
Workers’ Compensation Benefit Available to a Workplace Accident Victim
Employers have 100% of the legal responsibility to pay workers’ compensation for the covered medical costs incurred by injured workers, as well as partial cash benefits for lost work time.
If you have been involved in a workplace accident, then you are entitled to get compensated for it. The most common types of benefits available for workers who have been involved in a workplace accident include
- Medical Benefits: Workers’ Compensation 100% covers the cost of all present and future medical treatments, rehabilitation, and therapy for any work-related injury and illness.
- Wage Replacement: In situations where employees are not able to work due to workplace injuries, workers’ compensation provides wage replacement benefits. They are usually a percentage of the worker’s average weekly wage.
- Permanent Disability Benefits: The effects of workplace accidents can vary. When they are severe, they can lead to such workers’ being permanently disabled or being unable to return to their former work duties. In cases like this, workers’ compensation can cover both short and long-term disabilities, as well as permanent conditions that result in the reduction of earning capabilities.
- Death Benefits: If a workplace injury causes an employee to lose their life, the dependents of such employees are eligible for death benefits like funeral expenses and other financial support.
- Vocational Retraining: In cases where the worker is unable to return to their former job duties, injured employees may receive vocational retraining to help them get back to work in a different role.
How to Prevent Accidents in a Workplace
Workplace accidents can occur frequently, can be very life-threatening, and can have a huge direct impact on those affected. However, with the right knowledge and practice, a lot of these accidents can be prevented.
Here are some tips on how these workplace accidents can be prevented by both employers and employees:
- Be aware of the risks associated with your work.
- Frequently attend safety training programs. This will help you equip the skills needed to navigate the risks associated with your work
- Conduct regular inspections of machinery and equipment to ensure that they work perfectly to avoid accidents
- Put on protective equipment to minimize exposure to workplace hazards
- Provide and maintain clear signage and safety indications in workplace environments where risks can not be avoided or controlled in any other way
- Employers should enable a system where employees can report when there’s an accident; this will help employers know how effective their equipment is and how safe they are
- Employers and employees should learn basic first aid; basic first aid can come in handy when there’s a workplace accident and can help save lives
Importantly, workers are eligible for workers’ compensation in situations where the injury was unintentional or not the result of the worker being under the influence. The employee is allowed to make a claim even if their own actions otherwise contributed to the injury.
Work With an Experienced Alpharetta Workers’ Compensation Law Firm
Workplace accidents can be life-changing, but the CEO Lawyer and his team of experienced workers’ compensation lawyers are eager to get you back on your feet.
Your treatment can be expensive, and you might not be able to afford it on your own. Let the CEO Lawyer help you get the best workers’ compensation you deserve while referring you to medical professionals who will help you through your workplace accident recovery journey.
We are proud of our strategic approach, and we promise you positive results. You can contact us at 833-254-2923 or contact us online to schedule a free, confidential, and no-obligation consultation.
