Workers Compensation at Construction Jobs

Recently, a construction job accident occurred when a trench collapsed in Cartersville in Bartow County during a sewer line installation.  The trench was 30 feet deep and ran for up to 30 feet below the road.  This caused the recovery effort to become very difficult and risky.  Even though the construction worker was presumed to be dead, firefighters from several counties worked tirelessly to recover the body, risking their own lives.
Construction workers are employed in some of the most dangerous conditions of any industry, the deadliest workplaces in the US.  The risk of something caving in or being electrocuted is extremely high.  Furthermore, the risk of inhaling toxic fumes underground is also very high.  No matter how safe employers try to make working conditions, construction jobs are often cause for workers’ compensation claims.
Georgia workers’ compensation laws

Personal injury claims that occur at work in Georgia have to be claimed against the employer in the form of workers’ compensation.  The employer cannot be sued.  If a claim is successfully brought by a Georgia workers’ compensation attorney, the injured employee should be able to recover all medical costs and 2/3 of the wages that they would have received if they had not been injured.  Other compensation is also available to the employee while time is taken off work to recuperate from the construction job injuries.

Steps to take when an injury occurs

1) Notify your employer immediately of the construction job injury that you suffered.
2) Seek immediate medical attention from doctors who are approved by the insurance company and by your employer.
3) File a workers’ compensation claim (has to be done 30 days from date of injury). It is advisable to get a Georgia workers’ compensation attorney at this point.

The benefits of a Georgia workers’ compensation attorney

Without the help of a Georgia workers’ compensation attorney, employers will try to contest your claim and/or pay you as little as possible for your construction job injuries. Insurance companies may also try to persuade injured workers to accept a lump sum settlement that severely underestimates the construction job injury suffered by the injured employee. In the case of a death that occurs during a construction job accident, a Georgia workers’ compensation attorney can help families receive full death benefits that are owed to them so that they can go on with their lives.