In Georgia, we suspect that these closures will produce a substantial amount of lay-offs including employees injured on the job. It is important to note that these injured employees who have been laid off have certain responsibilities before workers’ compensation benefits are started. It is recommended that these injured employees return to their authorized treating physician immediately. This will help certify their work restrictions. Subsequently, we recommend that the laid off and injured workers begin to document a search for employment within the recently certified work restrictions. Additionally, it would be prudent to seek unemployment benefits.

Those Georgia workers’ desiring a free consultation regarding their rights under workers’ compensation should call the Ramos Law Firm.

The workers in the “service industry” appear to suffer more work accidents than other Georgia industries.   In 2009, approximately 66,500 service workers reported on-the-job injuries.   In contrast, the manufacturing industry recorded 13,500 reported cases.  These manufacturing jobs included workers in the food and beverage industry; textiles; apparel; printing; and paper industries.

When a worker is injured on the job, he or she has two basic benefits (1) medical care and (2) weekly income payments.  These benefits are dependent upon its relationship to the occupational accident.  There is no “pain and suffering” awarded in workers’ compensation cases.  However, the injured employee may be compensated for any permanent impairment he or she may receive based on the severity of the work injury.

If you have been hurt at work and believe you have the right to select your physician, please contact the Ramos Law Firm.

Not everyone would consider being in the school a high risk job but consider the cafeteria workers who deal with food in bulk meaning heavy lifting and repetitive motion. These workers often experience injuries such as carpal tunnel, back injuries and shoulder injuries.

Special education teachers are also among the high risk category as their job often involves a physical aspect in lifting and restraining children, pushing wheelchairs and more.

There also workers who commute or travel that will be impacted by the higher traffic volume on the roads. The increased traffic means more employees may be involved in automobile accidents which may be related to their job. This would include the thousands of bus drivers employed in the state.

If you have been injured on the job, give our law firm a call today to schedule your free consultation.

In our case, an employee was responsible for cleaning the airplane cabins.  As she was being transported to the airplane, the truck was involved in an accident.  As a result, she and two other employees were injured.  The injuries involved pains in her back, neck and head.  She also missed time from work.

Generally,  the Employer/Insurer may control medical treatment if

1. it properly posts a valid panel of physicians, and
2. it trains its employees as to the use and function of the panel.

If it did not do both of these steps, the injured employee may select her own doctor.   Medical treatment is very important to a workers’ compensation case as it provides the best chance for the injured worker to heal from the occupational injury.  Moreover, quality medical treatment provides the best chance for the hurt worker to return to work and regain his or her quality of life.  Sometimes, it appears that the Employee’s “panel” doctors are biased and favor the employer.  Having the power to select your physician is very important.

If you have been hurt at work and believe you have the right to select your physician, please contact the Ramos Law Firm.

Since then, the workers’ compensation law was amended to delete the distinction between non-resident and resident dependents.  Therefore, issues of citizenship and residency are not relevant or applicable to determining the entitlement of workers’ compensation dependency benefits.  O.C.G.A. § 34-9-265

If you have any questions about death or dependency benefits, please contact the Ramos Law Firm at 404-355-3431.

Generally, a “change in condition” occurs when the injured worker demonstrates a change in the wage-earning capacity, physical condition, or employee status after original injury (established by award or otherwise).  O.C.G.A. § 34-9-104 (a); Atlanta Hilton & Towers v. Gaither, 210 Ga. App. 343, 436 S.E.2d 71 (1993). See also Aldrich v. City of Lumber City, 273 Ga. 461, 542 S.E.2d 102 (2001). See ABB Risk Management Service/Georgia Kaolin v. Lord, 254 Ga. App. 88, 561 S.E.2d 225 (2002).  An injured worker must be careful in these situations as a few statutes of limitations may be triggered for restarting income benefits, or even formally accepting the claim.  See, O.C.G.A. §34-9-104 and 82.

In some cases, an injured employee who sustains a job-related injury may continue to work until her condition forces her to cease work because of gradual worsening of her physical condition.  The Georgia law will generally consider the date she stopped working as a “fictional new date of accident.”  Central State Hospital v. James, 147 Ga. App. 308 (1978).  These fictional new date of accident cases do not involve a new “traumatic” injury.  This scenario is analogous to the “straw that broke the camel’s back” story.

If you have been injured on the job and have recently stopped working, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.  For a free consultation, please contact the Ramos Law Firm.

From a legal standpoint, this term allows for the Employer and the insurance company to “cut-off workers’ compensation benefits” provided it follows proper procedure. As I mentioned before, the term “full/normal duty” is magical for insurance companies. However, it may be devastating to the injured worker when he or she sincerely believes otherwise.

If the employee continues to experience pain resulting from the work injury; requires pain medication to function; or is physically limited in what he or she can do on the job, the certification of “full duty” may be inappropriate. Perhaps a light duty release would be more accurate. A light duty release should outline what medical or physical restrictions the injured employee currently has as it relates to the work injury. Essentially, these “full duty versus light duty” determinations are done by the treating physician. Unfortunately, many of these doctors have been pre-selected by the insurance company. Therefore, it is crucial that the injured worker be completely honest and candid with the treating doctor about how the hurt employee feels. This is no time to be stoic as this may have lasting legal ramifications.

If you have any questions about your light duty or full duty releases, please contact the Ramos Law Firm at 404-355-3431 or email us for your free consultation.

If a worker is attacked by a customer, the resulting injuries should be covered under workers’ compensation. The State Board of Workers’ Compensation will ask whether the injuries arose out of and in the course of the worker’s employment. For example, if a nurse was attacked by a patient who had a bad reaction to his medication, his or her injuries are likely to be covered. This injured nurse would be entitled to medical and income benefits. If the attack results in the death of the employee, then the dependents of the employee would be the beneficiaries of the workers’ compensation benefits.

If you have been attacked or injured on the job, please call the Ramos Law Firm at 404-355-3431 for a free consultation.

According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, over 9% of every 100 soft drink manufacturing employees reported a work accident in 2009. These injured workers require medical treatment and in some instances miss time for work because of the work accident. Sometimes, the employees will miss several weeks or months of work time. Unfortunately, these injured workers may also lose their jobs because of the work accident.

In these situations, it is important to be informed about any rights you may have under the Workers’ Compensation Act. As you can imagine, Coke employs a “workers’ compensation” group specifically dedicated to protecting Coke’s interest. While Coke is a great company, you should be aware that its workers’ compensation group is not necessarily looking out for your best interests.

It is important that you have your own workers’ compensation advocate looking out for you and your family. Call the Ramos Law Firm today for a free consultation, 404-355-3431.

Our firm has experience in handling claims where employees injured themselves inside the terminal, on the tarmac, and even during flight. These injuries involved eye claims, back herniations, carpal tunnel surgery, hearing damage, and knee replacements. Our firm is equipped to handle clients who have worked as airplane mechanics, pilots, ground crews, hangar workers, shuttle bus drivers, ticketing clerks, and food service employees such as Atlanta Bread Company workers.

Don’t be left guessing whether or not you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, call our firm today for a free consultation at (404) 355-3431.