Were you injured on the job in Savannah, GA? When you’re employed by someone else and get hurt on the job, it’s important to call Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers to explore your right to recover workers’ compensation benefits. Getting maximum benefits can be a challenge, and our Savannah workers’ compensation lawyers have the experience you’ll need to get your employer’s insurance company to do the right thing.
For more than a decade, Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers has been a fearless legal advocate for workers who’ve gotten hurt while working in Savannah. We’re award-winning Georgia trial attorneys who place our client’s needs front and center. Our results speak volumes, with millions of dollars in financial awards recovered.
Now, we want to help you force the workers’ compensation insurance carrier to pay you the maximum benefits to which you’re entitled under the law. Get started by discussing your workers’ compensation claim with our team for free. Contact our Savannah law office today, at (912) 335-1909.
How Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers Can Help You Make the Most of Your Claim For Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Savannah, GA
Even though workers’ compensation benefits are guaranteed to some employees under the law, employers and insurance companies will still put up a fight when you file a claim. After all, employer premiums may rise, and the insurance company doesn’t profit as much when it helps workers cover the costs of medical care and lost wages.
Hiring an experienced Savannah personal injury attorney can help you conduct meaningful negotiations and recover a more substantial benefits package. Our attorneys have been recognized by Super Lawyers, the American Association for Justice, and The National Trial Lawyers. Clients benefit from personalized legal representation and have the full force of our law firm’s resources backing their fights for compensation.
You’ll be able to rely on us to handle all aspects of your claim for workers’ compensation benefits, including:
- A prompt and thorough investigation into the underlying causes of your workplace injury
- Review employment documentation and your job-related tasks and responsibilities to confirm that you’re classified as an employee under Georgia state law
- Gather documentation needed to support a winning claim for benefits
- Obtain an independent medical evaluation, if necessary
- Ensure that your employer is notified of your intent to pursue benefits and that all necessary paperwork is filed within appropriate timeframes
- Determine if you might also have the right to file a civil workplace accident lawsuit to supplement the compensation you receive through workers’ compensation
- Represent you during any claim-related hearings, negotiations, and, if necessary, on appeal before the State Board of Workers’ Compensation
Workers’ compensation benefits can be a lifeline when you get hurt while working in Savannah. Our personal injury law firm wants to help you ensure your claim for benefits is successful.
We also want to reduce the financial stress you experience right now, which is why our Savannah workplace accident lawyers will take your claim on a contingent basis. You pay nothing until we recover workers’ compensation benefits for you.
Your first consultation with our team is free, so contact our Savannah law office today.
What Causes Most Workplace Accidents in Savannah, Georgia?
In Georgia, employers with at least three employees—including part-time employees—must participate in the state’s workers’ compensation system.
Workers’ compensation offers no-fault benefits to employees who suffer injuries as a result of:
- Warehouse accidents
- Manufacturing accidents
- Construction accidents
- Transportation accidents
- Truck accidents
- Slip and fall accidents
- Agriculture accidents
If you’ve been injured while working in Savannah, call Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers to discuss your situation and find out if you’ll qualify for workers’ compensation. Members of our legal team are available to take your call 24 hours a day.
Who Qualifies For Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Georgia?
Workers’ compensation benefits are not available to everyone. You must satisfy certain requirements before you’ll be eligible for benefits.
You should qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if:
- Your employer has at least three employees
- You are classified as an employee, not an independent contractor
- You suffer an injury in the course of your employment
An injury is considered work-related if it’s sustained while you’re carrying out job-related tasks or responsibilities within the scope of your employment. You don’t necessarily have to be at work or on your employer’s premises to qualify. You do, however, have to be on the clock.
For instance, you’d likely qualify for benefits if you were in a car accident while running errands for your boss or while transporting materials to a work site, but not if the collision happened on your lunch break or on your commute to or from work.
Employers in Savannah may try to misclassify workers as contractors rather than employees to avoid having to cover them in the event of an accident. Our Savannah workers’ compensation attorneys will fight to make sure you’re classified appropriately and denied benefits to which you’re rightfully entitled under the law.
What Benefits Does Workers’ Compensation Pay?
Georgia allows qualifying workers to recover limited economic damages to help offset some of the financial consequences of their workplace injuries.
This includes:
- Medical expenses for the costs of reasonable and necessary treatment
- Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits to help you when you’re unable to work at all right after your accident
- Temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits to help you bridge the gap between pre-injury and post-injury wages when you can return to work in a limited capacity
- Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits to help you cope with a permanent disability that limits your ability to make as much money before you got hurt at work
- Death benefits if a worker is killed in the course of their employment
Wage benefits are limited in scope. The calculation often limits benefits to two-thirds of a worker’s pre-injury wages. However, there’s also a statutory cap. For claims filed after July 1, 2023, the maximum weekly TTD and PPD benefits are limited to $800, while maximum TPD weekly benefits are limited to $533.
What If Workers’ Compensation Doesn’t Cover All of My Damages?
Barring a few exceptions, recovering workers’ compensation benefits will prevent you from suing your employer. The no-fault system is designed to accelerate your path to compensation and protect your employer from litigation. However, you may reserve the right to seek compensation from a negligent or otherwise liable third party – such as a property owner, manufacturer, or co-worker.
If you file a civil workplace accident lawsuit, you can secure compensation for economic damages and harder-to-value non-economic damages, including money for your pain and suffering. Punitive damages can also be awarded if your personal injury lawsuit goes to trial and a jury decides that the defendant in your case acted with malice or gross negligence.
Can I Recover Workers’ Compensation If I’m Partly to Blame For My Workplace Injuries?
Yes. Since workers’ compensation is a private insurance system that offers an alternative to the civil litigation process, Georgia’s comparative negligence law won’t apply.
Under the no-fault system, you can recover workers’ compensation benefits even if you’re partly or fully responsible for your on-the-job injuries. Benefits will usually only be barred if you got hurt on purpose or exercised gross negligence.
How Much Time Do I Have to File a Claim For Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Georgia?
Georgia workers’ compensation claims are subject to a one-year statute of limitations. However, to reserve the right to file a claim, you must be sure to notify your employer of your injury within 30 days of getting hurt on the job.
You must file your claim on time. If you miss the filing deadline, you will lose the ability to seek benefits that can really make a difference as you recover from your workplace injury in Savannah.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Savannah Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Call Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers if you’ve been injured on the job in Savannah, Georgia, and need to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. The insurance company will put a lot of effort into denying your claim. Our Savannah workers’ compensation lawyers have over a decade of combined experience handling complex cases like yours and a proven ability to win top results.
We’ve forced insurance companies, employers, and other powerful adversaries to pay our clients millions. Today, we’re ready to fight to get you to recover maximum workers’ compensation benefits, too.
We offer a complimentary case evaluation, so contact our Savannah, GA, law office for help today. Our team is always available to help – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Visit Our Personal Injury Law Office in Savannah, GA
Bowen Painter Injury Lawyers
308 Commercial Drive, Suite 100, Savannah, GA 31406
(912) 642-4726
Open 24/7