Getting hurt at work may set your mind racing as you think of all the problems this medical issue will cause. You will need to go see a doctor, which can mean money out of your pocket depending on your insurance coverage. You might miss several days of work, which means a smaller paycheck. If the injury is extreme, you may wonder if you will ever fully recover at all.
You probably understand that there are kinds of compensation available to those who get hurt on the job in Georgia. What kind of compensation can you claim after a work injury?
Workers’ compensation
Your employer has to carry workers’ compensation insurance to protect them from liability if you get hurt on the job and to protect you from losses due to a job-related medical issue. A workers’ compensation claim can result in full medical coverage for the injured worker.
Workers’ compensation benefits can also help workers replace their lost wages during a leave of absence related to their job injury. There are temporary disability benefits, partial disability benefits for those who must change professions and permanent disability benefits for those who can never work again.
What about a civil lawsuit?
Carrying workers’ compensation coverage will typically absolve your employer of liability for a workplace injury. Only in scenarios involving gross negligence or illegal conduct by a business will a worker hurt on the job have an option to sue their employer. Although you likely can’t take your employer to court, you may still have grounds for a personal injury claim in civil court.
Sometimes, there may be other parties that could have legal and financial liability for an injury that occurs on the job. A company that distributed a defective machine to your employer could be at fault for your injuries that occurred when the machine malfunctioned.
Individuals could also have some responsibility. You could make an insurance claim against a driver’s coverage if they hit you while you were driving for work. Lawsuits against a third party can be an option if there is clear negligence contributing to the outcome of the situation.
Looking into your employer’s workers’ compensation coverage and exploring potential third-party liability options can help you get compensation after an injury on the job in Georgia.