If you are injured on the job, you must report your injury to your employer. This should be reported immediately when possible, but certainly within thirty (30) days. You then will also need to file your workers’ compensation claim with the Board within the statutory time frame set forth by Georgia law.
Once you have done your part, you will be waiting on the workers’ compensation process. This process can be lengthy and complicated, and, unfortunately, it doesn’t always produce satisfactory results.
(pixabay / Noorislam)
If you have complaints about the workers’ compensation system, you’re not alone. Here are the aspects of the system that are most bothersome to employees across the country.
- Job termination. Occasionally, a doctor will clear an employee to return to work, but the employee may not feel up to the task. For example, if they have injured their back but their job requires heavy lifting, they may not feel good about returning to the same duty that caused them so much misery in the first place. If the doctor’s orders return you to work and you choose not to go, your employer may issue you a pink slip.
- Settlement values. People are often unhappy with the payment they receive. They feel that they should be repaid for pain and suffering, but workers’ compensation does not cover this.
- Even worse than not receiving enough compensation is having your workers’ compensation claim denied altogether. Insurance companies are very shrewd at looking for reasons to deny payment. They may try to prove that your injury is not as bad as you claim or that it was not caused on the job.
- The wait. The litigation process can take a long time. So, too, can the process of getting second opinions from physicians about your MMI (maximum medical improvement). These delays can all add up, bogging down claims by up to 24 months.
If you are unhappy with the results of your claim, contact your workers’ compensation administrative board. You should also enlist the help of an experienced workers’ compensation law firm, preferably from the beginning of your claim. Ramos & Law can help you file your claim and get the help and benefits that you have been denied.
For complex issues such as settlement values and denied claims, it is essential to work with an experienced workers comp lawyer who can advocate for your rights throughout the process.