When you are injured at work, you may sustain injuries and other damages. Thus, it’s crucial to file a workers’ compensation claim to be compensated. But what damages can you claim?
The following are four damages that worker’s compensation can cover.
Medical expenses
Workers’ compensation can cover incurred medical expenses due to a work-related injury or illness. Since you were injured in the line of duty, your employer’s insurance company should pay for your ambulance costs, emergency room visits, treatment, necessary surgeries, prescriptions and travel expenses.
Ongoing costs
In addition to initial medical costs, workers’ compensation covers ongoing ones, such as follow-up care and physical therapy. And if your injury is severe, perhaps you lost a limb, you may be eligible for lifetime medical benefits.
Lost wages
A work injury may make it challenging for you to work. Accordingly, you may miss work for several days. Since it was not your choice to do so, it can be unfair to lose income. Luckily, workers’ compensation covers lost wages.
In Georgia, workers should receive two-thirds of their average weekly income but not more than $725.00 per week for the 13 weeks prior to your injury. However, for injuries after July 1, 2023, the maximum weekly benefit rate has increased up to $800 per week.
Funeral costs
If an employee suffered an injury at work and died, their dependents should receive funeral costs from the employer’s insurer. In addition to covering funeral costs, the insurer should also cover medical expenses of the deceased’s last injury and lost wages.
Dependents include a surviving spouse, unmarried children and partial ones (someone who depended on the deceased’s income and has no other source of financial support). Partial dependents only receive benefits when there are no total dependents.
If you or your loved one is injured at work, you should get legal guidance to know the moves to make to receive just compensation.