What To Do If You’re Injured At Work Or On The Job
If you are injured on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation for your medical care. However, you must follow certain rules in order to ensure that your medical treatment is paid for by workers’ compensation.
At Skibiel Law, we help employees throughout the Atlanta metro area understand their rights and obligations when seeking workers’ compensation. Our goal is to ensure prompt payment and prompt delivery of quality medical care for injured workers by providing experienced, aggressive representation.
Things To Do If You’re Injured On The Job
If you are involved in an on-the-job accident – no matter how small – it is important to report your injury immediately to a supervisor. If you fail to report your accident within 30 days after it occurs, you could risk losing your right to file for workers’ compensation. In some cases involving back and neck injuries, symptoms may not appear until days or even weeks afterward, so it is important to notify your employer as soon as possible to protect your claim.
You should also request a copy of the posted panel of doctors from your employer and/or insurance company. Under Georgia workers’ compensation law, each company must have a list of six physicians who handle workplace accident claims. It is from this list that you will select a physician for treatment. Having this list can be invaluable and will help avoid medical treatment problems once your claim has been filed. The list or panel of doctors can usually be found in the employee break room or near the “time clock” where you punch in and out. If you do not find the list in one of these locations, ask your supervisor or someone in Human Resources for the location of the panel of doctors.
Finally, attend all your doctor visits. If you miss follow-up treatments, you risk losing your right to continue receiving income benefits or medical benefits while you recover.
Things You Should Not Do After A Workplace Accident
If you’ve suffered a workplace injury, you must take steps to protect your right to workers’ compensation. Therefore, you should not:
- Miss work without a doctor’s written excuse
- Quit your job
- Argue with your doctor
- Perform work above the restrictions set by your doctor
If you feel your employer is treating you unfairly, setting unrealistic expectations or threatening your job security due to a workplace injury, contact us right away to protect your rights to achieve maximum recovery.
To discuss your case in more detail, contact us by calling 770-400-0963 or toll free at 770-968-3554 to schedule a free consultation with our skilled Jonesboro workers’ compensation lawyer. Hablamos español.