If you have been hurt at work in Augusta, Georgia, you are entitled to workers compensation. Workers compensation is a type of insurance which provides income replacement as well as medical benefits to any employee who has been hurt at work. Workers compensation laws in Augusta, GA require all employers in the state to carry workers compensation insurance. Though it is required, that does not mean that it is simple to get the work injury benefits you deserve. If you have been hurt on the job, contact a lawyer at Ted A. Greve & Associates to go over your options and help you seek out the benefits you are entitled to.
What Should I Do After Being Hurt on the Job?
In the event that you have been injured at work, you must report the injury to your employer within 30 days of the date of the accident. If you do not report your injury within 30 days, you may lose your eligibility for benefits. After that, your employer is legally required to provide you with a list of at least six doctors who can provide you with medical care if you are injured on the job. You are entitled to the following claims in the event that your work injury was caused by an accident which happened on the job:
- Hospital bills
- Doctor bills
- Rehabilitation bills
- Physical therapy bills
- Prescription bills
- Applicable travel expenses
Georgia’s State Board of Workers’ Compensation Employee Handbook states that you are entitled to these benefits regardless of who may have caused the accident. In Augusta, GA, you also have the right to seek medication benefits through your employer’s compensation insurance.
You must file a claim in Augusta, GA within one year of the date the injury took place. If you are unsure about what you are entitled to after your injury, contact the lawyers at Ted A. Greve & Associates to help explain your rights and walk you through the process of claiming your workers compensation benefits.
My Hours Have Been Cut After Filing for Workers’ Compensation
If you have been hurt on the job and have had your hours cut after you have filed for workers compensation, you should reach out to a lawyer to find out what your options are. Georgia’s workers compensation laws protect injured workers from any possible retaliation from their employer. Although retaliation of this sort is illegal in Georgia, some employers do cut or reduce an injured employee’s hours after they have filed a workers compensation claim under the guise of poor performance or business operating changes.
Georgia laws forbid employers from cutting hours of their employees who have been hurt on the job for simply filing a claim. However, this does not prevent them from firing an employee for reasons which are not related to the workplace injury, including, but not limited to:
- Performance
- Conduct
- Attendance
An employer may use one of the above issues as a reason for firing an employee who has filed a workers compensation claim, which can lead to a wrongful termination lawsuit. However, a lawyer familiar with work injury claims can help you fight your termination, demotion, or cut hours by gathering evidence that contradicts or disproves their claims.
Contact a Georgia Workers Compensation Lawyer Today
Georgia law states that an employer is legally not able to retaliate against an employee by terminating them or reducing their hours drastically, reducing their payment, demoting them, or any other form of discipline. Although it is not legal, some employers still do it while citing different reasons like they are “changing their operating procedures”. If this happens to you, it is extremely important that you contact a lawyer to go over your legal options. Contact an attorney at Ted A. Greve & Associates today if your hours have been cut after filing for workers compensation in Augusta, Georgia.
Our dedicated workers comp lawyers Augusta GA can review your case and the evidence related to your dismissal to help you obtain an outcome that gives you all the rights you are entitled to. While it may seem like all is lost, your attorney may be able to gather witness testimony from your coworkers or old performance reviews to show that your hours have been cut or that you have been demoted on baseless claims. Employers in Augusta, Georgia must follow workers compensation laws as set out by the state. If you believe your employer has not followed these laws, you should contact a lawyer immediately.
