If you get hurt at work in Georgia, there’s a good chance you’ll be entitled to workers compensation benefits. You’ll have to file your claim, but as long as you meet the basic requirements, you shouldn’t run into any problems. However, once your claim is open, you need to follow your company’s policies.
One of the rules almost every employer has when it comes to workers compensation is that you be treated by a doctor on their list. Some people don’t appreciate the fact that you need to be treated by a company-approved doctor. They want to see their own doctor or a specialist that is recommended to them. The problem is that your claim can be denied if you don’t see a company-approved doctor. There isn’t much a worker’s comp attorney in Augusta can do to help in this situation.
If your workers compensation claim has been denied for any reason, you will want to talk to a seasoned attorney in Georgia. They can help appeal your claim. They can also help you comply with your company’s rules and policies.
What Criteria Do You Have to Meet to Be Eligible for Workers Comp in Augusta, Georgia?
In order to qualify for workers compensation in Augusta, Georgia, you need to meet certain criteria. If you meet these rules and your claim is denied, you can always talk to an experienced workers comp attorney in Augusta to help you appeal your claim. The criteria you must meet in order to be eligible for benefits include the following:
- Your injury or illness took place while on company time
- You didn’t violate any company policy at the time of your accident
- The injury wasn’t caused by something outside of work
- You weren’t under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time you were injured
- You see a company-approved doctor
- You report the injury to your manager or Human Resources department as soon as possible after your injury
- You comply with all recommended treatment
Now, just because you meet all of these criteria, there’s still a chance your claim could be denied. If this happens, your Augusta workers comp attorney will help you file an appeal.
How Many Doctors are You Allowed to Choose from in Your Georgia Workers Compensation Claim?
If you get hurt at work, you will have to be seen and treated by a company-approved doctor. Your employer and their insurance company have to offer you a list of doctors that have been approved by the State. And, they have to offer you the names of at least six (6) doctors to choose from. As long as you see a doctor on this list, you should be okay.
There are times when your Augusta workers comp lawyer feels you need to see a specialist. If there isn’t a doctor on the list that meets this need, you can ask that anotehr doctor be approved. The odds of this happening are slim. Your employer is going you to want to see a doctor that they feel will release you back to work as quickly as possible.
If this happens, your attorney will find an independent doctor who challenges the other physician’s findings. For example, let’s say that you get hurt at work and need surgery. The company-approved doctor expects you to return to work two (2) weeks after your surgery is completed. If this is too soon, you can find your own doctor who will recommend you stay out of work an additional four (4) weeks. It is situations like this that end up causing these cases to drag on. There’s a good chance your employer will disagree with this assessment. They may even terminate your benefits.
Schedule Your Free Initial Consultation with an Experienced Workers Comp Lawyer in Augusta
If you get hurt at work, the last thing you’ll want to do is fight with insurance companies. This is why you should call and talk to a skilled workers comp attorney in Augusta as soon as possible. Let them deal with your employer and their attorneys. This way, you can focus on recovering from your injuries.
What you need to do is call and schedule your free initial consultation with one of our lawyers. The initial consultation is free, and you don’t pay a dime until your case is settled. Your employer will have lawyers working for them and you should too.
