Have you been injured on the job in Georgia? Need an Atlanta Workers Comp Lawyer? Need a Savannah Workers Comp Lawyer? Call us today at 770-422-9000 in Atlanta or 912-650-3993 in Savannah.

We are here to help you fight the insurance company and keep your job.

Even if you decide not to call us or hire our firm, we want to help all injured workers get the medical attention and money they deserve. Because we actually care, listed below are 5 steps each injured worker should take to protect his/her workers comp claim. We have also listed the 5 ways to “kill” your workers compensation claim. Pay close attention. If you need assistance with any of these steps, feel free to call us for a free consultation at 770-422-9000 (Atlanta) or 912-650-3993 (Savannah).

5 Steps to Save Your Job and Your Workers Compensation Case

If you are injured on the job in Atlanta, below are 5 steps you should take to make sure that your case is not lost at the very beginning.

1. Immediately report the accident to a supervisor as soon as possible. (Telling a co-worker who is not a supervisor is not sufficient.)

Make sure that a report of the incident is made and you get a copy of the form or notes of the accident. (If your supervisor will not make a written report, you should make a report for your files.)

2. Find out about the six company doctors.

Your employer should have posted on the wall a list of doctors (known as the “panel of physicians”) that you are allowed to see. If you do not see the list, ask your supervisor or the personnel department about the authorized doctors. If a list is not posted on the wall, you can go to the doctor of your choice. If there is a posted list and you do not go to a doctor on that list, your employer and its insurance company will not have to pay for your treatment.

3. Make an appointment with a doctor as soon as possible following an injury.

If you must go to the doctor in the evening or on the weekend, go to your nearest hospital or to your family doctor. Your employer and its insurer must pay for emergency treatment regardless of whether or not there is a list of doctors posted.

Follow the instructions of the medical personnel. It is very important that you attend all appointments and follow the work restrictions that you are given.

4. Keep your employer informed.

If your doctor excuses you from work or gives you work restrictions, get this in writing and give it to your employer. Keep a copy for yourself. If the doctor excuses you from work indefinitely, find out from your employer how frequently your employer wants you to call in. Comply with those requirements.

5. Make sure the insurer is aware of your injury.

Most employers have workers’ compensation insurance with another company that will handle the claim. The insurer cannot help you unless it knows about your injury. Make sure that your personnel department has sent the first report of injury to the insurer. If you are unable to work, make sure the insurer knows that. You can verify this with the insurer. Ask your employer for the name and telephone number of the insurer and the name of the person who is handling your claim (the “adjuster”). You can speak directly with the adjuster.

If you cannot get this information from your company, call the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation Coverage Department at (404) 656-3692 for the name of your company’s insurer, then notify the insurance company yourself.

File a claim with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. To protect your rights, you must file a claim with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation within one year from the date of your accident. There are some exceptions to this rule which we can discuss with you.

You are not at the mercy of the insurance companies. Know your rights. Call Parsons Law Group, LLC, today at 770-422-9000 (Atlanta) 912-650-3993 (Savannah). Your Atlanta and Savannah Work Injury Attorneys.

5 Ways to Kill Your Workers Compensation Case

1. Don’t Report the injury.

Insurance companies love it when you don’t report the injury at work. It lets them question whether the injury even happened, or whether it happened at work. And it lets them delay your workers comp benefits and medical treatment while they investigate the claim. If you get hurt at work, tell a supervisor. If your company has an incident or accident report, fill it out and give it to them – and make sure to get a copy.

2. Rely on your employer to “take care of you.”

Workers compensation is about protecting your future rights – your ability to earn a living for your family and get the medical treatment you need for your injuries. Even well meaning employers don’t know the ins and outs of workers compensation laws – and can kill your case (if you let them) by not filing the proper forms for you or giving you well meant, but wrong, advice. And most companies have a large workers compensation insurance company your case is turned over to – that insurance company has no duty to you.

3. Don’t tell your doctor you got hurt on the job.

Many people go to the emergency room and tell the doctor “I hurt my back” or “I fell and hurt my knee” – and that helps the doctor diagnose the injury. But if it happened at work, say so. Tell the doctor, nurse, or anyone taking a history that you hurt your back lifting a generator at work or slipped on grease changing a bus tire at work and banged your knee. Be specific. It will save time and expense. When insurance companies get medical reports that don’t indicate you told the doctor you got hurt at work, they delay (or in some cases deny) claims.

4. Go to the employer’s “work injury clinic”(Concentra, Choice Care etc…)

You get hurt on the job and report it to your supervisor – so far so good. But the foreman says, “we have a company doctor (or a workers comp doctor, or a worker’s clinic) and you have to go see that doctor. Everyone hurt on the job goes to this clinic. Its free. Its convenient. Forget it. Every injured worker is entitled to proper medical care from an appropriate specialist. In Georgia, you have the right to select at least two physicians from the employer’s posted panel of physicians. This panel should be located in the break room or you may request it from Human Resources or your supervisor. If they claim they don’t have one, tell them you know you have the legal right to select a physician from the panel. If they still do not provide the panel, you can choose your own physician. Choose a physician who will have your best interests at heart – not one who relies on insurance companies to send him patients. Or contact us to help you choose a doctor. We know the reputation of just about every doctor and clinic in the State of Georgia.

5. Don’t file forms with the Georgia State Board of Workers Compensation

Maybe the insurance company is paying your benefits and medical treatment. You reported it to your supervisor and they said they’d take care of it – maybe you even signed some forms. Not good enough. Injured workers or their attorneys must file their claims with the State Board of Workers Compensation within specified time frames to protect your legal rights.

You are not at the mercy of insurance companies. Know your rights. Call Parsons Law Group today at 770-422-9000 (Atlanta) 912-650-3993 (Savannah).

· Georgia Workers’ Compensation Guide: Are you unsure if you have a valid claim? Learn more about Georgia workers’ compensation laws. Contact us for a free initial consultation.

· Case Results: If you are looking to file a claim, you want a lawyer who will get you the best results possible. Please view our Case Results page to see a small sampling of some of the cases we have handled.