Did you sustain an injury while at work in Augusta, GA? Contact Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys for a free consultation at (912) 737-6146. Our Augusta workers’ compensation lawyers can help you determine your legal options and fight to secure the financial relief you deserve.
Our legal team has 40 years of combined experience representing injured workers throughout the area. With us on your side, you can rest assured that you’ll have an entire legal team on your side working to maximize the value of your claim.
During your free consultation, we can offer you some initial legal advice about your best course of action.
Why Choose Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys for My Workers’ Comp Case in Augusta, Georgia?
Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys has successfully taken on powerful insurance companies across Augusta, Georgia. We’ll make it our primary objective to put as much compensation as possible into your pocket if you hire us to represent you.
A few reasons to consider choosing to work with our Augusta personal injury lawyers include:
- We have decades of combined experience handling workplace injury cases.
- We’ve been recognized by Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers.
- Our law firm has over 900 five-star reviews on Google.
Call us today to arrange a complimentary consultation. Our Augusta workplace accident attorneys are ready to fight for the financial relief that you need and deserve during this difficult time.
How Much Is My Augusta Workers’ Compensation Case Worth?
No two workplace injury cases are exactly alike, so there’s no simple formula for calculating what yours may be worth.
However, there are several prominent factors that may play a role in determining the value of your claim:
- The type and severity of your injuries
- Whether your injury is temporary or permanent
- How much time you’ve missed from work, and whether you can return
- The total cost of your medical treatment
- Whether a third-party lawsuit is available for additional compensation
- The strength of the evidence supporting your claim
We can give you a better idea of what to expect after reviewing the specific facts of your case during a free consultation. Our goal is always to help you recover the maximum amount of benefits and compensation available under the law.
An Overview of Workers’ Compensation Laws in Georgia
Georgia law requires most employers with three or more employees to participate in its workers’ compensation program. If you suffer an injury or become ill because of your job, you can likely file a claim for benefits through your employer’s policy. Workers’ comp in Georgia is a “no-fault” system, meaning you can receive benefits regardless of who caused the accident in most cases.
There are several types of benefits available through a workers’ compensation claim, including medical, rehabilitation, and income benefits.
Determining which benefits apply to your situation is an important part of the process. Our workers’ comp attorneys can help you determine what you’re entitled to and make sure you receive the full amount.
Third-Party Personal Injury Claims
In some cases, workers’ compensation benefits alone may not be enough to fully cover your losses. Workers’ comp does not pay for non-economic losses like pain and suffering, which can be substantial depending on the nature of your injury.
If a party other than your employer contributed to your accident, you may be able to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit for additional compensation. You generally cannot sue your own employer if they carry workers’ comp insurance, though there are rare exceptions.
Some common examples of situations that could give rise to a third-party claim include:
- You were involved in a car accident while performing your work duties.
- You were injured at a construction site due to the negligence of a general contractor.
- You were hurt while using a defective product that was manufactured by a third party.
- A subcontractor created the unsafe condition that led to your injury.
Our personal injury lawyers in Augusta can investigate the facts of your case and determine whether a third-party claim is an option for you.
What Damages Can I Recover After a Workplace Injury in Augusta?
If you’re able to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit, you may be entitled to both economic and non-economic damages. Recovering these damages can increase your overall financial recovery drastically in a workers’ comp case.
Economic damages cover your financial losses, including:
- Medical bills
- Anticipated future medical treatment
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning capacity
- Rehabilitation and physical therapy costs
- Out-of-pocket expenses
Non-economic damages account for the personal impact of your injuries, such as:
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Trauma
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Scarring and disfigurement
In rare cases, punitive damages may also be available. However, these damages require a stronger showing of evidence and also usually entail your case going to trial.
What if I’m Being Blamed for My Augusta Workplace Accident?
One of the advantages of workers’ compensation is that it is a no-fault system. In most situations, you can still receive benefits even if your own actions contributed to your accident. There are exceptions to this rule, however, such as injuries caused by intentional self-harm.
If you’re pursuing a third-party personal injury lawsuit, shared fault becomes a more significant issue. Georgia follows a modified comparative negligence standard with a 50% bar that may apply in these circumstances.
Under this rule, you can still recover compensation as long as you are found to be less than 50% at fault for the accident. However, your damages will be reduced by your percentage of responsibility.
Insurance companies and employers are well aware of this rule and will often try to shift as much blame onto you as possible. Our workers’ compensation attorneys in Augusta can protect you from these tactics and work to make sure you aren’t assigned more fault than you deserve.
How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Augusta?
Most personal injury attorneys in Augusta, including ours, work on a contingency fee basis. You won’t pay anything up front to hire us, and you won’t receive a bill by the hour either. Instead, we only collect attorney’s fees if we successfully recover benefits or compensation on your behalf.
The exact amount of contingency fees can vary depending on the details of your case. We will go over the terms and sign an agreement before your case gets underway, so you’ll know exactly what to expect from the start.
How Long Do I Have to File a Workers’ Comp Claim in Georgia?
There are important deadlines you need to be aware of after a workplace injury in Georgia. First, you must report your injury to your employer within 30 days of the accident. Failing to do so could jeopardize your ability to receive workers’ compensation benefits.
From there, you generally have one year from the date of the injury to file a formal workers’ compensation claim with the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation. Missing this deadline could result in losing your right to benefits.
If you’re also pursuing a third-party personal injury lawsuit, the statute of limitations in Georgia is typically two years from the date of the accident for most cases. This is a separate deadline from the workers’ comp filing requirement.
There are exceptions to these time limits, but only for specific circumstances. It’s best to get in touch with us as soon as you can to help ensure you take timely legal action.
Call Our Augusta Workers’ Compensation Attorneys to Schedule a Free Consultation
A workplace accident in Augusta, GA, can turn your life upside down. Fortunately, you may have multiple legal options for filing a claim for compensation.
Contact Jamie Casino Injury Attorneys today to get started with your case and learn about your best path forward. Our Augusta workers’ compensation attorneys have 40 years of combined experience and are ready to get to work for you immediately.
