Workers Comp Lawyer in Sandy Springs, GA
Being hurt on the job or developing a job-related illness can be a jarring experience. We expect our workplace—where we spend one-third of our lives—to be safe. When it is not, there are options, particularly workers’ compensation benefits. The goal of workers’ compensation is to help workers injured on the job with medical expenses, lost wages, and more, without having to sue employers. Every state in the United States requires that employers carry workers’ compensation (except for Texas). Since workers’ compensation is a state-run program, the rules can vary significantly from state to state. Unfortunately, securing workers’ comp benefits can often be tricky without the help of an experienced Sandy Springs workers’ compensation attorney.
About Sandy Springs, GA
At the time of the 2020 census, the population of Sandy Springs, an inner suburb of Atlanta, was about 108,000. This makes Sandy Springs, which is located in Northern Fulton County, the seventh-largest city in the state of Georgia. The Creek Muskogee Native American tribes settled in the area because of the freshwater springs, remaining until the early 1800s, when the discovery of gold forced them out. The federal government held land lotteries in the area in 1821, resulting in the present-day location of Sandy Springs.
Today, the Sandy Springs Festival is the largest community event in the city with more than 30,000 attending. Sandy Springs is also home to the Sandy Springs Artapalooza, the Stars and Stripes Celebration, and the annual Chattahoochee River Summer Splash. The Heritage Sandy Springs Museum is dedicated to the community’s history—the community also has a museum devoted to Anne Frank.
Why Should You Choose a Sandy Springs Workers’ Compensation Attorney from The Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson?
There are many different issues with filing workers’ compensation that can potentially “trip you up,” causing your benefits to be delayed or denied altogether. Having a Sandy Springs workers’ compensation attorney from The Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson can truly make a difference in the outcome of your benefits or settlement. Attorney Darwin Johnson can ensure that you do not jeopardize your entire workers’ comp case because of a single mistake.
We have extensive experience and training in Georgia workers’ compensation, and we will vigorously pursue damages on your behalf following a workplace injury. At The Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson, we have more than thirty years of combined experience and are extremely familiar with the tactics used by employers and insurers to deny your claim. At the Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson, we have:
- More than 150 positive Google Reviews
- Recovered more than $250 million on behalf of our clients
- Handled more than 10,000 cases
- Served the entire state of Georgia, particularly Atlanta and the Atlanta Metro Area
What are the Workers’ Compensation Basics in the State of Georgia?
If you work for an employer that has at least three full or part-time employees and does not fall under one of the exceptions, then your employer must carry workers’ compensation insurance. Under the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act, the following categories are exempt: farm laborers, domestic servants, federal employees, independent contractors, and some railroad employees. Your employer is legally required to provide copies of paperwork or other materials relevant to your injury claim and may not take retribution against you by demoting you or firing you.
Under Georgia workers’ compensation, you may be eligible for: a portion of your lost wages, medical expenses related to your workplace injury or illness, necessary medical devices, transportation costs to and from medical appointments, disability benefits, and wrongful death benefits for family members who lost a loved one to a workplace injury or illness. Even though your employer may be covered under workers’ compensation, this does not necessarily mean they have your best interests at heart. Insurers and employers want to minimize how much they pay out on injury claims, therefore, could use manipulative tactics to delay or deny your benefits.
Top Questions Regarding Georgia Workers’ Compensation
- Is travel to and from work covered under workers’ compensation? Your injury falls under workers’ compensation if you were hurt while performing job duties that are within the scope of your employment. If you have to travel extensively for your job, you may be considered to be under “continuous employment.” The following could potentially be considered work injuries:
- If you are injured in a motor vehicle in a city that you were required to be in for work purposes, but you were not technically working at the time, you may still be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Your employer may have required you to drive to a location that was not their principal place of business; if you were injured in the course of driving to that location, then your injury could be work-related.
- If your employer provided you with a vehicle as a part of your job, then your injury could be work-related.
- Suppose you were on a work-related errand when you were injured—the injuries could qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Perhaps your employer asked you to pick up a co-worker on the way to work, and you were injured during that errand. If so, your injuries may fall under workers’ compensation.
- If you were driving between jobs for the same employer when you were injured, then the injuries could be considered work-related.
- You may have been in a hotel for a work-related project when you were injured. If so, this could be considered a work-related injury.
- Can you work while receiving workers’ compensation benefits? This is a question that may have no easy answer, as it will depend on the facts and circumstances surrounding your workers’ comp case. Generally speaking, you cannot work while receiving workers’ compensation benefits, but this may not be true in every case. If you had only one job at the time of your workplace injury, and your doctor has not released you to return to work for that injury, you cannot work while receiving temporary total disability benefits. If, however, you had two dissimilar jobs at the time of your workplace injury, then you can potentially receive workers’ compensation benefits while still working at one of the jobs. As an example, suppose you work as a bookkeeper during the day, while working as a school maintenance employee at night. You fall and hurt yourself during your maintenance job, so file workers’ comp with that employer. You can still work at your day job because the jobs and tasks required are very dissimilar.
How a Sandy Springs Workers’ Compensation Attorney from The Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson Can Help
If you have suffered a workplace injury or illness, The Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson will aggressively protect your interests and your future. We are extremely knowledgeable regarding Georgia workers’ compensation, and we understand that your employer and the insurer may have only their financial bottom line in mind. With decades of workers’ compensation experience and millions earned in settlements and awards for our clients, we know what it takes to be successful in your WC claim. For a free consultation, contact The Law Offices of Darwin F. Johnson today.
