Understanding the Law

Injured Atlanta Cops Fight Workers Comp System
A front page story in the Sunday, May 24, 2009 edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution details the struggle of five catastrophically injured Atlanta police officers to obtain needed medical help from the City of Atlanta's workers' compensation office. Each of these police officers was injured in the line of duty - with injuries ranging from brain damage to paralysis arising from gunshot wounds to the spinal cord. (…)

Weekly Wage Benefits are Exempt from Garnishment
A workers' compensation claim can result in many unpleasant changes in your life. Besides the health issues and the stress that you have to deal with, financial problems also often arise. Recently one of my workers' comp clients called me to say that he was very concerned that he was about to be sued for past due credit cards. In addition, he had other debts and was receiving daily phone calls and threatening letters. (…)

Who Decides About Your Medical Care in Your Workers' Comp Case?
You have been injured on the job and are now receiving Georgia workers' compensation benefits. Who decides which doctor you can see? What if you are not happy with the company doctor? Are there any circumstances when you can choose a doctor of your choice? (…)

Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation Web Site - a Useful Resource
Our firm's blog and web site makes frequent reference to the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation. The State Board functions as the court system for workers' compensation claims in Georgia. The Board is a creation of the state legislature and it uses different forms that what you might see in a Georgia State or Superior Court. (…)

Medical Treatment in a Workers' Compensation Case - What You Need to Know
If you are injured on the job and you are a covered worker under the workers' compensation law, your employer is required to provide you with medical care. However, as you may suspect, what you consider as reasonable and necessary care may not be the same thing as what your employer and its insurer want to provide. (…)

The Importance of Reporting Your Injury Completely and Thoroughly and Why an Incomplete Report Can Damage Your Case
One of the issues that I sometimes face arises from my client's initial report of his injury. When you are hurt on the job, you can help your case greatly by thoroughly and accurately reporting your injury. (…)

Revealing the "Return to Work Trap" in Georgia Workers' Compensation Law
What is the biggest trap that you can face in your Georgia workers' compensation case? Without question, issues relating to your return to work after being injured must be handled very carefully. (…)

What are the AMA Guidelines and Why Are They Important to My Case?
I am often asked how I know when a case is ready to settle. There are many factors that go into this judgment call, one of the most important being the disability rating assigned to my client. (…)

Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefits - What Are They and How Much Can I Receive?
If you are injured on the job, start to miss work, and your employer accepts your Georgia workers' compensation claim, you become eligible for temporary total disability benefit payments. How does TTD work and how much can you receive? In this video, I discuss the basics about TTD benefits.

Light Duty Return to Work - What Should You Do?
Have you received a light duty return to work? What happens if you try to work but the light duty job is too difficult? What does "light duty" mean anyway? Will your temporary total disability benefits be restarted? Returning to work under a light duty release can be very tricky and you can jeopardize your benefits if you do not handle this process correctly. In this video, I explain how a light duty release is supposed to work and why a WC-240 form is so important.

Can a Hospital Bill Me Directly for Workers' Comp Related Treatment?
This morning I received a bill in my name for payment due. I called the establishment to inform them that this is a Worknman"s Comp claim and the employee there told me that it has not been filed with Workman's Comp Insurance Company . (…)

What Does it Mean to be a Malingerer?
The term "malingering" can cause you a great deal of problems if it appears in your medical records. (…)

Medical Treatment in a Georgia Workers' Comp Case - Don't Assume the Insurance Company Has Your Best Interests at Heart
As I have written in this blog and on my Georgia workers' compensation web site, the quality and nature of your medical care following your injury will have a lot to do with whether you win your claim and with how much money you can expect at settlement. (…)

Should I Return to Work if the Authorized Doctor Releases Me
Jodi, I am receiving TTD (temporary total disability) benefits and the authorized doctor told me that he is releasing me to return back to light duty work. Should I report to work immediately? (…)

Will Workers' Comp Cover a Knee Replacement Arising from Years of Heavy Labor?
As I was loading a 400lb. piece of freight on an aircraft, my (L) knee twisted. I was sent to a clinic and evaluated that I might need a knee replacement. (…)

When is My First TTD Check Due from the Insurance Company?
I injured my ankle back in August. I have missed work, been place on restricted hours. I finally got sent to a specialist this past thursday. I start rehab on Monday. (…)

Company Doctor Will Not Help Me - Is There Anything I Can Do?
My question is that, I've been out hurt for a year and 3 monthswith a crushed heel. I've seen 2 workers comp doctors and just saw a independent doctor. (…)

New Job Injury Triggers Related Medical Problems - What is Compensable?
North Carolina workers' compensation lawyer Dan Deuterman recently wrote about one of his cases, Clark vs. WalMart, that ended up in the North Carolina Supreme Court. (…)

Employer Does Not Want Me to File My Injury Claim Under Workers' Comp. Is This a Good Idea?
I would like some info. I was injured on the job last week. Actually I broke my foot while working in the woods. My employer said to present him a bill and he will pay instead of filing workers comp. (…)