Lavonia work injury attorney

Contact an experienced Lavonia GA workers’ compensation lawyer

When an employee becomes injured in a workplace accident, they may recover financial compensation through a workers’ compensation claim. Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance coverage employers use to reimburse employees for lost wages and medical expenses from work-related injuries.

However, receiving the workers’ compensation benefits you need and deserve is often more complicated and difficult than it may initially seem. A Lavonia workers’ compensation lawyer from The Van Dora Law Firm can help with filing your workers’ compensation claim and help you with any problems or issues that may arise. We can also help make sure you are receiving all of the benefits you are entitled to under Georgia Workers’ Compensation law.

Call our office at (706) 377-4044 today and schedule a free consultation.

Lavonia Work Accidents and Injuries

Even in a safe work environment, the potential for serious accidents is always there. Work injuries may occur in a sudden, violent accident, such as a fall from a height or a malfunction of construction equipment. We have handled many workers’ comp cases in Lavonia, Georgia

Sometimes work injuries may develop slowly over time from repetitive motion or cumulative trauma. These types of repetitive use injuries occur on a regular basis in factory settings and on assembly lines. Regardless of how it occurs, the following injuries can have a huge impact on a person’s life, both personally and financially.

Injuries from Physical Exertion

Over working and bodily reaction are some of the top causes of work injuries in Lavonia Georgia. Using too much physical force to carry, lift, push, or move objects can cause many types of work related injuries including, back injuries, neck injuries, muscle injuries, knee and shoulder injuries and more. Repetitive use of certain body parts such as typing or twisting, can also cause injuries. Carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, and bursitis are common types of repetitive motion injuries. Overwork can also cause aggravations to pre-existing injuries and non-symptomatic arthritis.

Slipping, Tripping, and Falling

Slips and trips and subsequent falls occur all of the time. Workers in Truck driving, transportation, construction and warehousing are the most likely to suffer an injury after falling.

Getting Struck or Pinned by Objects

Serious and deadly work injuries can occur because of objects falling on or striking workers. Workers may also become injured from friction or pressure when working with certain machinery. Construction workers are often especially at risk of injuries in this category.

Transportation Injuries

Accidents involving transportation account for just under 6 percent of nonfatal work injuries. However, transportation-related accidents result in 40 percent of all work-related deaths. Truck drivers and warehouse delivery workers are usually at an increased risk of these types of injuries from motor-vehicle wrecks and loading dock crush injuries.

Other Types of Injuries

Work injuries may also occur from exposure to toxic substances like asbestos, fires and explosions, intentional violence, animal attacks, and many other types of incidents.

Most dangerous jobs in Lavonia, GA

The more dangerous the job, the more employees come to appreciate workers’ compensation. Here are a few common professions in Georgia that result in higher rates of work-related injury, illness and fatality:

• Constructionis often the first job that comes to mind when people discuss the most dangerous industries to work in. Accidents such as slip and falls, falling objects, poorly constructed scaffolding, and lack of proper protection and safety equipment often proves hazardous and sometimes fatal for construction workers in and around Albany.
• First responders, such as policemen, firefighters and EMTs, are also at the top of the list of most dangerous professions for obvious reasons. Putting out fires, driving quickly to emergency scenes and being shot are all part of the job description for first responders. The important, but dangerous service of these brave men and women cannot be overstated.
• Truck drivingis one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States. An estimated 20-50 million people are injured or disabled in automobile accidents each year. Of those numbers, 475,000 were fatal truck accidents.
• Iron and steel workerswork in close proximity to high temperatures, heavy metals, and hazardous machinery. No matter how much training and safety equipment employees have, there’s always the possibility that a machine will break down or someone will make a mistake, resulting in a serious injury.
• Roofersare susceptible to the elements, work with dangerous equipment, and also run the risk of falling. For this reason, roofing is considered one of the most dangerous professions in Georgia, including here in Albany.
• Nurses and healthcare workershave difficult jobs that require them to work long shifts while taking care of those who are injured or ill. But sometimes we forget that they’re human too, and therefore just as prone to accidents and injuries as anyone else.

How to Get Workers’ Compensation Benefits After an Injury at Work

Fortunately, Georgia law, under OCGA §34-9, now gives workers the right to receive benefits through workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation insurance is no-fault insurance, meaning that workers do not have to prove that the accident was someone else’s fault in order to recover compensation.

An injury at work can have a big impact on an injured worker’s life. Your work injuries may have left you in pain and unable to work or carry out everyday responsibilities. Through a workers’ compensation claim, you may recover compensation for your lost wages, medical expenses, and more.

The Van Dora Law Firm can help you file a claim and fight for the compensation you deserve. Call us at (706) 377-4044 today and schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

Income Benefits from Workers’ Compensation in Lavonia Georgia

If your injuries have left you unable to perform work duties, you may be eligible to receive compensation for your lost income. Temporary total disability benefits may be available if you are not able to work for seven days or longer. The amount of money you can receive is equal to two-thirds of your typical weekly wage with a maximum weekly payout of $675 per week.

You can receive these payments until you recover from your injuries or 400 weeks have passed. If you suffered a catastrophic injury, like a severe traumatic brain injury, limb amputation, or paralyzing spinal cord injury, this time limit may not apply.

Temporary partial disability benefits may be available if you can still work after your accident, but you are making less money than you did before. The amount of money you may receive is two-thirds of the difference between your weekly earnings before and after the injury. If you suffered a permanent disability, you might qualify to receive compensation for the rest of your life.

Medical Treatment for Work-Related Injuries in Lavonia, Georgia

Through workers’ compensation, you can also receive reimbursement for medical treatment for your injuries. This includes hospitalization, doctor’s visits, specialist care, prescription medication, surgery, diagnostic tests like CT scans or x-rays, and more. You can also be reimbursed for mileage driving to and from doctor visits at a rate of $0.40/mile.

Workers’ compensation can also cover costs associated with ongoing rehabilitative care, such as physical therapy and the costs to travel to and from doctor’s appointments. It is important to note, however, that you must receive medical treatment from authorized providers in order to be reimbursed for these costs through workers’ compensation. This means you can’t go to any doctor you choose. You have to choose a doctor from the panel of physicians posted by your employer.

Workers’ Compensation Death Benefits

Some workplace accidents are fatal. If your loved one died in an on-the-job accident, your family may receive death benefits. If you were totally financially dependent on the decedent, the amount of compensation you can receive is equal to the amount of compensation for total temporary disability. You may also be reimbursed for your loved one’s funeral and burial costs.

Call The Van Dora Law Firm Today

For assistance and legal guidance throughout your workers’ compensation claim, contact a Lavonia workers’ compensation lawyer from The Van Dora Law Firm. Call our office (706) 377-4044 today to schedule your free case evaluation.

If you’re hurt on the job in Lavonia Georgia you may qualify for the following benefits under Georgia workers’ compensation law:

• Medical expenses: to cover the costs of any medicine, treatment, surgeries and physical therapy related to your injury.
• Loss of wages: to reimburse you for any paid time lost due to a long-term injury or permanent damage.
• Vocational retraining: to compensate you should you need to be moved to a different job position based on work restrictions.
• Mileage reimbursement: to and from the doctor’s office and physical therapy sessions are also typically included under workers’ compensation, which is a small—albeit much needed—benefit.

Remember, that workers’ compensation does NOT reimburse injured workers in Georgia for pain and suffering, emotional distress, or other non-economic injuries. Compensation for these types of damages are only available through the personal injury legal system, and injured workers cannot sue their employer if they qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, in most cases. The trade off is that even if the accident is your fault, in workers’ comp you are still covered and eligible for benefits.