Steps to Take After a Work Injury in Macon
Nobody expects to get hurt on the job in or around Macon, Georgia, but workplace injuries are more common than you might imagine, and they can occur in any industry. While some types of jobs do have more inherent hazards than others, even professions that only require work behind a desk can come with injury risks, and employees can sustain work-related injuries that are compensable through the Georgia workers’ compensation system. Indeed, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were a total of 2.8 million nonfatal work injuries in 2022, and these injuries occurred across a wide range of industries including transportation, services work, health care, sales, construction, office support, management and business, education, arts and media, farming, fishing, computer work, engineering, and science.
Whether you were injured while working construction in Georgia or while performing administrative work in a white-collar office, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation coverage. What steps do you need to take in order to be eligible for financial compensation? Consider the following information from our Macon workers’ compensation attorneys.
Document the Area Where the Work Injury Occurred
As with any type of accident, it is important to document the scene where the injury occurred if you are able to do so. You should take photographs and video on your phone of the area, and you should include both close-up images and longer images that show the fuller scene. In addition to documenting the scene visually through photos and video, it is also important to identify any witnesses, such as co-workers or customers, who might have seen the injury. Their observations may be helpful to your workers’ compensation claim.
Report the Injury to Your Employer
You will need to report the injury to your employer (or to your supervisor or boss, or foreman for construction workers), as soon as possible. While reporting an injury immediately is ideal, you must report the injury to your employer within 30 days from the date that it happened. If you do not report within 30 days, you may not be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Get Medical Care from One of the Providers on the Traditional Panel of Physicians
While some states permit injured workers to see any medical provider of their choosing for care in the aftermath of a work injury, in order to receive workers’ compensation coverage, you will need to see one of the six (or more) doctors listed on the Traditional Panel of Physicians. Your employer is required to post this Panel. If you do not like the provider you have chosen for any reason, you can make one change without getting permission from your employer (to another of the providers listed).
Contact a Macon Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Today
Were you recently injured while doing your job? You could be eligible to obtain a range of workers’ compensation benefits under Georgia law. Do not hesitate to get in touch with an experienced Macon workers’ compensation attorney at the Law Offices of Buzzell, Welsh & Hill for assistance with your case. We know how critical it is to receive these benefits in the aftermath of a work injury, and our firm is here to help you.
Sources:
bls.gov/news.release/pdf/osh.pdf
sbwc.georgia.gov/frequently-asked-questions/workers-compensation-law-faqs
