After getting hurt on the job, your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer started paying for treatment and disability benefits. However, a sudden end to those benefits may find you back in a poor financial situation.
Can the insurer cut your payments off? Find out what Georgia law says when it comes to when an insurer can and cannot stop paying your benefits.
Did the doctor change your status?
As you progress in treatment, the doctor continues to reevaluate and report on any improvements or setbacks. If your doctor changes your work status, the insurer may stop paying disability benefits. This is not permissible under Georgia law if you are still not able to work. The final word on your physical status will come when the doctor considers you to have reached maximum medical improvement or MMI. This does not mean you can return to work in the same capacity. Instead, it means you have reached the highest level of recovery for your condition.
Did you return to work?
If you get a change in status and return to work, your payments may stop. Should you find yourself unable to work full-time, your benefits should continue. Even on light duty or in a part-time capacity, the workers’ comp insurer should continue to administer disability checks. If you cannot return to work in any way, you may want to petition to have your benefits shifted to permanent disability status. This means that the insurer recognizes you cannot go back to work and has to pay your salary.
Getting hurt at work can put a damper on your plans and strain your wallet. When the workers’ compensation insurer stops paying benefits, it helps to understand what rights you have.