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How often can I see the workers’ compensation doctor?

Sep 12th, 2009
by Bryan Ramos.
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When an injury on the job occurs, the Employer and their insurance carrier are responsible for furnishing medical treatment to the hurt employee.  However, the Employer and insurance carrier will generally have a (more…)

Georgia’s Injured Employees and Workers’ Compensation

Aug 16th, 2009
by Bryan Ramos.
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Generally, when an employee is injured in Atlanta or any other city in Georgia, the employee may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits are primarily made up of medical treatment as it relates to the work injury and income benefits to a certain point.

In most cases, the Employer may (more…)

What can I expect from the medical treatment workers’ comp provides me?

Jul 22nd, 2009
by Bryan Ramos.
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When an employee is injured on the job, he or she is either rushed to the hospital in severe cases or instructed to treat with “Concentra” or “Urgent Care.”  These places are industrial clinics that focus in minor occupational accidents.  If the injury requires more specialized care (more…)

Required “Notice” under Rule 201(b)

Jul 13th, 2009
by James Timmons, Jr..
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If an Employer/Insurer has controverted a workers’ compensation claim and the claim is later found to compensable, Board Rule 201(b) provides that “the employee is authorized to select one of the physicians who has provided treatment for the work-related injury prior to the acceptance of compensability, and after notice has been given to the employer, that physician so selected becomes the authorized treating physician.”

The question, then, is what constitutes notice.  On a very (more…)

Referrals From The Authorized Treating Physician

Jun 2nd, 2009
by James Timmons, Jr..
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With any injury or illness, it is common for a primary treating physician to find it necessary to refer the patient to another doctor for specialized care.  Obviously, in a workers’ compensation setting, this is also possible.  The question then arises, how does the Workers’ Compensation Act provide for such referrals? (more…)

Does the Panel of Physicians Affect the Type of Medical Treatment I Will Receive?

May 5th, 2009
by Adriana Sola Capifali.
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Employers who are subject to the Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act are required to post a panel of physicians.  The employer’s panel of physicians consists of medical facilities or individual physicians who are authorized to render treatment to employees injured on the job.  There are three types of panels employers may elect to post: (more…)

The term “physician” has a broad definition in Workers’ Comp

Mar 16th, 2009
by Julia Lindsey.
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In a recent ruling by the Appellate Division, a neuropsychologist is a “physician” defined by O.C.G.A. § 34-9-201(a).  Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 34-9-201(a), (more…)

Employee May be Given New Date of Injury if Condition Worsens

Feb 16th, 2009
by Julia Lindsey.
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Under Georgia workers compensation rules, an employee who gets injured on the job but continues to work should not be penalized. For example, an employee sustains a neck and back injury while on the job in 2001.  The employee receives (more…)

What doctor can I see for my work comp injury?

Apr 15th, 2008
by Bryan Ramos.
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What is the workers’ compensation “panel of physicians”?

This is the Employer/Insurer’s preapproved list of doctors for workers’ compensation injuries.
Georgia Law O.C.G.A. § 34-9-200 requires an employer to maintain a list or panel of six (6) different physicians, professional associations or corporations of physicians that an employee must select from to treat his on the job injury. At least one of the six physicians must be an orthopedic surgeon and no more than two (2) professional associations or corporations of physicians can be industrial clinics. The State Board further stresses that if the company is located in an area where it is feasible, minority physicians should be included as an option.