The workplace can be a very dangerous place, which is why the government developed a workers’ compensation system, which provides money and medical benefits to workers who have sustained injuries as a result of an on-the-job accident, injury, or occupational disease. If you have been injured on the job, you have the right to file a workers' compensation claim.
The attorneys at Hasty Pope LLP serve clients throughout Atlanta and North Georgia who have suffered a job-related illness or injury and can help you obtain fair recoupment for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you require assistance in receiving proper compensation from your place of work, contact our team of attorneys today.
Workers’ compensation is designed to protect employees and their dependents against the hardships of occupational injury, or even death. Work-related injuries are often severe and result in serious disability that prevents the injured worker from returning to gainful employment. Many injuries involve falls, defective products or machinery, or repetitive stress.
Our workers' compensation attorneys litigate claims involving construction accidents, machinery accidents, and exposure to harmful substances. Should a workplace injury result in death, our legal team will assist the worker’s loved ones by filing a wrongful death suit. If you would like Hasty Pope LLP to evaluate your workers' compensation claim, our law firm serving the greater Atlanta and North Georgia area can help you.
You must be an employee to qualify for workers’ compensation, though you do not need to be a full-time employee. In this context, an employee is defined as someone who works for another under a contract of hire and receives a salary or hourly wage. You do not have to be employed by only one employer. A written employment contract is not necessary. Illegal aliens, prisoners, and minors can all be considered employees.
In order to protect the legal rights of a person who has been injured in an on-the-job accident, many complicated issues must be considered and properly addressed. These include compliance with a potentially large number of deadlines, and carefully maneuvering through conversations with the insurance company.
For example, if Georgia law applies to your case, unless you are certain that your employer or supervisor witnessed your accident, you must notify them of your injury within 30 days. If you wait more than 30 days, the notice must be in writing and there must be good reason for the delay. This deadline, or statute of limitations, must be met. Failure to do so may result in loss of various rights or benefits.
Additionally, under Georgia law a WC-14 form, Notice of Claim, must be filed with the Workers’ Compensation Board:
There are several other deadlines and issues that require an injured worker to act or give notice. For example, if a workers' compensation claim has been denied, you have 20 days to appeal the decision.
If you are injured while on the job, notify your employer immediately and request medical treatment or you could lose valuable rights associated with your claim. The longer an injured worker goes without treatment, the more his or her claim will be weakened.
To learn more about important deadlines, please consult one of the workers' compensation attorneys at Hasty Pope LLP. Serving Atlanta and North Georgia , our lawyers can help you get the compensation to which you are entitled.
Sometimes a separate personal injury claim may also be filed against a negligent party. If this is the case, the injured worker has two years to file a claim or the victim's right to compensation is lost. It is important to note that shorter time deadlines may apply to certain types of cases. In these claims against an employer or third party, it is important that an experienced attorney thoroughly investigates all the avenues you may have toward maximizing your lawsuit's return.
There are very specific rules that apply to disability payments, returning to work after an injury, medical treatment, physician changes, vocational rehabilitation, and permanent partial disability benefits. The best way to avoid pitfalls is to contact an experienced workers' compensation lawyer as soon as possible after your accident. Our workers' compensation attorneys can advise you of your rights, help you meet deadlines, file a successful claim, or appeal a denied claim.
As our client testimonials illustrate, we have a track record of winning favorable injury verdicts. With an experienced attorney on your side, you greatly increase your chances of obtaining just compensation for you injuries.
If you have suffered a workplace injury or contracted an occupational disease and are considering a workers' compensation claim, contact the attorneys at Hasty Pope LLP today. Serving the Atlanta and North Georgia area, our experienced lawyers can guide you through the claims process.
For more information about filing a workers' compensation claim, contact our attorneys in North Georgia , near Atlanta.
Hasty Pope LLP
211 East Main Street
Canton, GA 30114
Phone: (678) 792-3250
Fax: (770) 479-0139
1370 Thompson Bridge Rd
Suite #200
Gainesville, GA 30501
Phone: (678) 343 2913
Hasty Pope LLP – A Results-Driven Personal Injury Practice