This article can answer questions you might have about Brunswick, GA workers’ compensation.
What is workers’ compensation?
It is a form of social insurance. In the early 20th century (and before that), workers who got hurt on the job had little recourse to get money for medical costs and lost wages sustained due to at-work injuries. Indeed, hurt employees had to resort to suing their employers. This resulted in a clogged up court system. Employees did not generally fare well in this legal environment, since their bosses often found the resources to quash complaints quickly.
To fix this broken system, the architects of workers’ compensation developed a “no fault” solution – that is, an injured worker would not have to prove someone was at fault for an accident in order to receive benefits. A kind of grand bargain was struck – in exchange for surrendering (in most cases) the right to sue, workers would get access to workers’ compensation benefits through an employer, an insurance company, or the state.
When should you report your accident to your boss?
As soon as possible. If you delay reporting, you may delay getting Brunswick, GA workers’ compensation benefits.
Who pays for my workers’ compensation benefits?
If your employer is self-insured, he or she will pay. If your employer has workers’ comp insurance, that company will send you the money.
Can I collect benefits even if I wasn’t at work when my injury occurred?
It depends. If you were on the way to work (or to a work function), and you got hurt, you may be eligible. For instance, if a truck hit you while you were driving to the airport to fly to a conference, you can make a good case that you deserve workers’ compensation, since you had been driving to the airport explicitly to attend a work function.
Can I collect workers’ comp for a chronic injury, such as carpal tunnel syndrome brought on from typing too much?
Yes. Occupational diseases are covered. Of course, you had to sustain the injury or illness as a result of your current job. For instance, let’s say you worked for 10 years as a stenographer and then switched careers to work as an addiction counselor. You would have a difficult time bringing a workers’ comp case for your typing injury against the addiction clinic, since you clearly sustained the occupational injury at your previous job.
What can I do if my employers give me a hard time or my insurance company refuses to pay?
Connect today with the attorneys at Farah & Farah to explore your legal rights. Often, recalcitrant employers and insurance companies can be compelled to cooperate, if they discover that you have strong and battle-proven legal representation behind you. Call the team at (912) 388-4921, or explore more about the firm on the web at www.farahandfarah.com.
