Atlanta has the sixth largest metropolitan area in the U.S. and prides itself on the tremendous number of industries contributing to the nation’s economy. Some of the larger industries within Metro-Atlanta’s economy, including healthcare, government, transportation, and many more employ thousands of government workers, all of whom are essential to keeping Metro-Atlanta productive and running smoothly.
Unfortunately, municipal employees are often at a higher risk for workplace injuries than private employees due to a variety of reasons. If you’re currently employed by a city government like the City of Atlanta or a county like Fulton or Clayton County, it is helpful for you to understand your rights regarding workers’ compensation, and how to apply for these benefits if you should ever need them. If you need immediate help with workers’ compensation or have a question about the information below, contact Ramos & Law.
Common Causes of Injuries for Atlanta City Employees
As city-employed workers are spread throughout various sectors, there is a diverse array of workplace injuries that they may commonly face. Here are a few of the more common types of workplace injuries that our clients regularly suffer from.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Slips, trips, and falls can happen in nearly every type of industry, whether the workplace is outdoors or indoors. This may include sanitation workers who are required to get up and down from the side of a garbage truck or a park supervisor slipping on ice or wet grass. Even city employees who work primarily indoors may suffer a slip due to a wet surface or a trip due to cables or items left on the floor. Regardless of how these incidents happen, it’s always important to play it safe and get checked out, as spinal or neck injuries can become very serious, even if there isn’t any immediate pain.
Motor Vehicle Accidents
City-employed transportation workers such as bus drivers, or first responders such as police officers or EMTs, are almost always at risk for motor vehicle accidents. City-employed drivers are typically also responsible for keeping others safe and interacting with the public, which means that their jobs are incredibly stressful and more prone to distractions, leading to a much higher risk for motor vehicle accidents.
Repetitive Motion and Overexertion
Repetitive motion injuries occur when an employee continuously repeats the same muscle movement, resulting in stress to the nerves, muscles, and tendons. Unlike other types of injuries, repetitive motion injuries can affect city-employed workers whether their job involves physical labor or takes place in an office. Educators, who are required to sit and type for long periods are just as much at risk as maintenance workers who may twist a wrench for several hours a day.
Over-exertion can affect any city employee who is required to lift heavy objects. This could be a sanitation worker lifting garbage cans or a healthcare worker who frequently lifts patients in and out of bed.
Physical Altercations
Any job that requires frequent interaction with the general public is going to face at least a small risk of a physical altercation. The most common jobs that may encounter such risks are typically law enforcement or healthcare workers as they frequently interact with individuals who are prone to violence, mental health conditions, or substance abuse.
Exposure to Toxic Substances
City employees who work in sanitation and waste management are typically the most at-risk city employees for toxic substance exposure, however, other types of workers may be at risk as well. City-employed construction workers may encounter asbestos, lead, or mold, depending on the job. Healthcare workers, who are often exposed to body fluids, diseases, and chemicals, may also suffer an illness or injury due to toxic substance exposure.
Are City of Atlanta Workers Eligible for Workers’ Compensation?
In most cases, yes. To be eligible for Georgia workers’ compensation, you need to be considered an “employee,” not an “independent contractor”, and you must have suffered any injury that arose out of and was in the course of your city employment. If eligible, Atlanta city employees may apply for a number of benefits through workers’ compensation such as medical care and income benefits. In the tragic event that a city employee dies while on the job, the dependents of the deceased worker may also file for workers’ compensation.
The process for filing starts with notifying the employer within 30 days of the accident. The employer should provide the injured worker remedial medical care to effectuate a cure or relief for the injured body party. If the employer does not, the injured employee should contact an experienced workers’ compensation attorney like Ramos & Law.
How Much Does Workers’ Comp Pay For City Employees?
Injured workers receive income benefits based on their ability to return to work. The rate of payment is largely dependent upon the employee’s average weekly wage before taxes and withholding and the date of the accident. Medical benefits cover the cost of medical expenses and ongoing treatment related to the underlying occupational injury. These benefits will be sharply scrutinized by the City and insurance counsel. Moreover, they will likely try to contest many parts of the claim, if not the claim in its entirety.
How Can a Lawyer Help With a City of Atlanta Employee Injury Claim?
One of the ways that workers’ comp insurance representatives use to determine eligibility or a settlement amount is by investigating the claim, either over the phone or in person. They may call the injured worker at inconvenient times or even surveil the injured employee to determine if they are being truthful about their claim. Unfortunately, even if the claim is legitimate, that doesn’t mean that the employee will receive a fair settlement or even be approved at all.
A workers’ compensation lawyer is familiar with the reasons that a claim might be denied and can organize the claim in a way that minimizes the likelihood of denial. They can also file the paperwork, communicate with the insurance companies on behalf of the injured worker, and represent the worker in court.
Get Help From a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Atlanta
Hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer is a great way to increase your chances of maximizing your claim and ultimate settlement for your workplace injury. Regardless, if you’re still considering whether or not to file a claim or even if your claim has already been denied, Ramos & Law is familiar with the legal nuances surrounding workers’ compensation claims and understands the common issues that government employees face when it comes to receiving workers’ compensation benefits. If you’d like to hear more about our successes or how we can help you with your claim, we encourage you to contact us for a free consultation.