Most of us get up every day and go to work. As much as we’d love to have a few months off, the world doesn’t work that way. Very few people have enough money socked away that they could afford to go without a paycheck for weeks on end. That is why it’s so scary when you suffer a workplace injury. Not only will you have to deal with the pain and discomfort caused by your accident, but you’ll also be facing a financial challenge. It would be great to assume that your employer in Decatur, Georgia will pay your work injury claim. Unfortunately, you can never make that assumption. Even employees who would normally be eligible for workers’ comp in Georgia are never guaranteed benefits. You have to meet certain eligibility requirements before your claim will be approved. Even if you think you meet these criteria, your work injury claim can still be denied. After all, this is still an insurance claim. And there’s always the chance that your employer or their insurance carrier may deny you benefits. If this is the case, you’re going to need to talk to an experienced workers’ comp lawyer in Decatur, Georgia.
One of the reasons you may learn that your work injury claim has been denied is because you aren’t technically considered an employee. It may seem strange that somebody wouldn’t realize that they aren’t legally an employee. After all, wouldn’t any normal person know the answer to this question? Well, it’s not always so straight forward. You may have worked for the same company for a decade and have no idea that you’re legally considered an independent contractor. Or, you may be under the impression that your status with the company has changed. Maybe you started out as a contractor but, once you moved to full-time status, you thought your designation had changed. If this isn’t the case and your workers’ comp claim in Georgia is denied, call our office right away.
Make Sure You Know if You’re Classified as an Independent Contractor
When most people start a new job, they know whether they’re hired as an employee, consultant or independent contractor. It almost seems unreasonable to think that someone could go to work every day and not know the answer to this question. However, there situations in which it’s not always so clear.
There are a few different types of workers. First, there is the employee. This is someone who works for a company, is paid by the company and pays taxes like any other worker. These workers are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Second, there is a freelancer. Freelancers often do short-term projects with a variety of companies in any given year. For example, they may work for Company X for two (2) months doing computer programming. Later that year, they spend four (4) months updating software for Company Y. The rest of the year, they are working on their own software. They would be considered a consultant. The third group is made up of independent contractors. Independent contractors are very similar to consultants. And, like consultants, they are not entitled to workers’ comp benefits in Georgia. If you aren’t sure which of these you fall under, call our office right away. Don’t wait until you’ve suffered a workplace injury to find out.
Call an Experienced Workers’ Comp Lawyer for Help With Your Work Injury Claim
If you get hurt at work, the last thing you should have to worry about is medical care. Like most other employees, you’re probably under the impression that you’re entitled to medical care and replacement wages. Unfortunately, if you are an independent contractor, then you aren’t entitled to either of these things. That’s why it can be very scary indeed for an independent contractor to suffer a workplace injury. Even if you have primary health insurance, that doesn’t solve all of your problems. You’ll still have to deal with copays and out of pocket expenses. And, as long as you’re out of work, you won’t have any income. You aren’t entitled to workers’ comp. And, you can’t file for unemployment. Disability may or may not be an option, depending on your situation.
Call today and schedule a free initial consultation with our experienced workers’ comp law office. Sit down with someone who can answer all of your questions. They can also let you know what options you may have – if any. If you decide to retain one of our attorneys in Decatur, Georgia, you won’t have to pay a dime until your case is settled.
