Available Workers’ Compensation Benefits
If you are injured on the job, then you may have many questions about the benefits that you are entitled to under Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation Laws. Depending upon the circumstances of your case, you may be entitled to any of the following four types of benefits:
- Temporary Total Disability Benefits: If you are injured on the job and your physician determines that you are unable to work, then you are entitled to benefits. This amount cannot be more than the amount allowed under the law. If your injury is non-catastrophic, then you are limited to 400 weeks of benefits from the first date of your injury. If, however, your injury is catastrophic, then the benefits that you are entitled to receive are not limited.
- Temporary Partial Disability Benefits: If you are able to return to work but you return to work in a job that pays less than you were receiving before your on the job injury and is less as a result of your on the job injury, then you are entitled to receive benefits. These benefits are payable to up to 350 weeks from the first date of your injury. Again, this amount of benefit cannot be more than the most amount allowed under the law.
- Permanent Partial Disability Benefits: If you are permanently disabled due to your on the job injury, then you are entitled to a benefit that is a percentage determined by your physician according to AMA Guidelines, and this percentage is multiplied by the Temporary Total Disability Rate. The percentage is determined by a formula that has the number of weeks assigned by O.C.G.A 34-9-263(c).
- Death Benefits: In the very unfortunate event that you die as a result of your on the job accident, then your dependents who are eligible to receive benefits under the law are entitled to receive an amount that is equal to two thirds of your average weekly wage at the time of the accident. This amount cannot exceed the maximum allowed under law. Funeral expenses are also payable to an amount that does not exceed the maximum allowed under law.
It is very important to note that the aforestated benefits cannot be paid at the same time and that only one benefit is payable at any one time. If possible, and it is allowed by your physician, your employer will try to give a job that is light-duty if one is available. If there is a light duty job available and your physician gives you permission to work a light duty job, then you will be expected to go back to work and work the light duty job.
There is, however, a grace period of 15-working days that will give you time to determine if you can do the light duty job without the concern of forfeiting your Workers’ Compensation Benefits. If a light duty job is not available, however, and you are out of work for more than 52 weeks consecutively or if the periods of work are not consecutive, then the most that you can receive under Temporary Total Disability are 78 weeks of benefits.
If you have any questions, then please contact us by phone at 770-865-8654 or by email at juliericelaw@icloud.com for your free legal consultation. We can answer the questions that you may have about what benefits you may be entitled to. We are here to assist you and we look forward to hearing from you soon.