Were you recently injured while working in Savannah, Georgia? Were you or someone you love diagnosed with an occupational disease? If so, call Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys at (912) 355-1500 for a free consultation today. You may be able to get workers’ compensation benefits to help you get back on your feet, and our Savannah workers’ compensation lawyers can help you maximize your recovery.
Our team speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves and fights for justice in the wake of devastating accidents. Drawing on 40+ years of combined legal experience, we go toe-to-toe with greedy and powerful corporations and don’t rest until they take accountability for our clients’ injuries, costs, and suffering.
Why Hire Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys To Help With Your Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Savannah, GA?
You may have the right to seek workers’ compensation benefits in the aftermath of a job-related accident in Savannah, GA, but that does not mean the process will be easy. Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys won’t let the insurance company manipulate you, deny your claim in bad faith, or stand between you and the lifeline of benefits you need to get back on your feet.
Our lawyers are trusted by injured workers and their families because we’re aggressive, effective advocates with a proven track record of success. Your personal injury case is so much more than a fight for compensation. It’s your story. It’s your future.
It’s our honor to be able to help you tell it and exact the kind of life-changing monetary award you need to put your life back together after a serious physical injury at work. We’ll bring the hammer down against powerful insurance companies so that you can focus on your recovery.
Call our law office to get started. Your first case review with a personal injury attorney in Savannah is free.
Understanding Georgia Workers’ Compensation Law
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance system that allows injured workers to recover essential financial support quickly without the stress and headache of filing a civil lawsuit. Under Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation Act, most employers with three or more employees are required to have a workers’ compensation insurance policy.
This includes employees who work full-time, part-time, seasonally, and/or on a temporary basis.
When an employee is hurt in the course of their employment, they notify their employer and file a claim to recover limited economic support for medical expenses, lost wages, and, in some cases, permanent disability or impairment.
In exchange for an accelerated path to benefits, the employee agrees to waive the right to sue their employer for damages, even if that employer caused the work-related injury.
How Do I Know if I Qualify for Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
There are certain criteria that must be satisfied before a worker can successfully receive workers’ compensation benefits.
You’ll probably qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if:
- You suffer a work-related injury or illness (i.e., you’re injured while performing job-related tasks or responsibilities);
- You work for an employer that is legally required to carry workers’ compensation insurance; and
- You’re classified as an employee, not an independent contractor.
Do you have to be hurt at work to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits? No. For example, you could qualify for benefits if you were involved in a work-related car accident or truck accident. As long as your injury is related to some aspect of your work (and sustained while you were on the clock), you can likely recover benefits for related economic losses.
Can I File a Lawsuit and Recover Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
While you probably cannot sue your employer, you still have the right to bring a legal claim against another at-fault party. In fact, you can pursue compensatory damages from anyone (other than your employer) who directly or indirectly caused your workplace injury.
Compensatory damages awarded in a workplace accident lawsuit could potentially include money for your medical bills, lost wages, diminished earning capacity, property damage, out-of-pocket expenses, as well as the pain and suffering and loss of quality of life you experience as a victim.
What Benefits Does Workers’ Compensation Insurance Pay?
Georgia’s workers’ compensation system provides workers with limited economic relief for medical bills and lost wages in the wake of a workplace injury or illness.
Medical Expenses
The workers’ compensation insurance company should cover costs for reasonable and necessary medical treatment, including but not limited to:
- Emergency room care
- Specialist consultations
- Hospitalization
- Surgical procedures
- Medical devices
- Medical equipment
- Prosthetics
- Medication
- Follow-up consultations
There are certain limits, especially concerning which healthcare providers you can seek for treatment if you want the costs to be covered. If you go to a non-plan-approved doctor, there is a good chance that the insurance company won’t agree to cover the bills.
Lost Wages
There are several types of lost wages and income benefits you might be able to recover after you get hurt on the job in Savannah:
- Temporary Total Disability: TTD benefits are permitted if your injury prevents you from working in any capacity for more than a week. Benefits equal two-thirds of your average weekly wage (AWW) up to a maximum of $800 per week. TTD benefits can be paid for up to 400 weeks or until you’re able to return to work in some capacity.
- Temporary Partial Disability: TPD benefits can be awarded if you can go back to work on light duty or in some limited capacity. Benefits typically equal two-thirds of the difference between your pre- and post-injury wages for up to 350 weeks.
- Permanent Partial Disability: PPD benefits reflect the financial consequences of suffering a permanent physical impairment or disability because of your work-related injury. Benefits, which equal two-thirds of your AWW, subject to statutory caps, are paid in accordance with a schedule established by the state. The more severe your disability, the longer you can receive benefits.
Permanent Total Disability benefits can be awarded in situations where a worker’s injury keeps them from ever achieving gainful employment again.
Can Shared Fault Affect My Ability To Get Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Savannah?
Georgia’s modified comparative fault rule doesn’t apply to claims for workers’ compensation benefits. So, shared fault won’t limit or bar a recovery of workers’ compensation benefits.
However, shared fault can still affect related civil personal injury lawsuits. In these situations, your contribution to the workplace injury will limit your ability to recover compensation from a third party. Damages are reduced proportionately to fault up until your contributory negligence is greater than 49 percent.
How Much Does It Cost To Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney?
Thinking about legal fees can be overwhelming when you’re struggling with medical bills and worried about how you’ll make ends meet. That’s why Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys handles workers’ compensation cases on a contingency fee basis.
There’s no upfront cost or out-of-pocket fee to hire our personal injury law firm to handle your case. We only get paid when we recover workers’ compensation benefits for you.
If we don’t get results, you owe us nothing.
How Much Time Do I Have To File a Claim for Workers’ Compensation Benefits After I’m Injured at Work in Georgia?
There are multiple notice and filing requirements you need to be familiar with if you’re injured at work and want to pursue benefits from your employer’s workers’ compensation policy.
First, you need to notify your employer that you have been hurt or diagnosed with an occupational disease within 30 days. This notice requirement has to be fulfilled, or you’ll risk losing the right to receive monetary support while you’re out of work.
Next, your claim for workers’ compensation benefits – Form WC-14 – must be filed within one year of the date you’re injured, discover your work-related injury, or are diagnosed with an occupational illness.
If the statute of limitations runs out before you take action, there’s no guarantee you’ll get any compensation for your medical bills or lost wages.
Schedule a Free Consultation With a Trusted Savannah Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Don’t struggle with a work-related injury or illness on your own. If you qualify for workers’ compensation in Savannah, Georgia, Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys can help you fight for the maximum benefits available to you under the law.
Our Savannah workers’ compensation lawyers are highly respected legal advocates with a demonstrated ability to take on tough defendants and win life-changing case results. We’re ready to fight for your best interests and a brighter future, too.
Contact us at our law office to learn more. There’s no charge for your first case review.
