Workers’ Comp Decisions:

Immediately after a work accident, Injured workers face many important decisions. These decisions include:

  • Which doctor can you treat with?
  • Do you have to treat with workers’ comp doctors?
  • When will your weekly income benefits start?
  • How much should your weekly checks be?
  • Can I get a workers’ comp settlement?
  • What would be a fair settlement?
  • When should I settle my workers’ compensation claim?
  • Will I lose my job because of my workers’ comp injury?
  • Should I hire a workers’ comp lawyer?
  • Which workers’ comp attorney should I hire?

If you make the wrong decision, then you may lose thousands of dollars and possibly your entire claim.  The Griffin Law Firm is here to help.  You can call us at 800-624-4878to get the answers you need.   Most importantly, to find out how we can maximize your workers’ comp benefits and get you the settlement you need and deserve.

Types Workers’ Comp Benefits:

Injured workers are eligible for many types of workers’ compensation benefits.  These workers’ compensation benefits include:

Income Benefits:

Weekly income benefits pay injured workers for their lost wages.  There are two different types of workers’ comp income benefits.  First, Temporary Total Disability Benefits (TTD) are paid when your injuries prevent you from working.  Second, Temporary Partial Disability Benefits (TPD) are paid when you return to work on work restrictions, but earn less money each week.  The problem is that adjusters often fail to pay these income benefits correctly.  For example, the adjuster may refuse to start your income benefits when they are due. Similarly, adjusters may stop your weekly income benefits too soon or pay less than they should each week.

The Griffin Law Firm holds the adjuster’s feet to the fire.  How is this accomplished?  By requesting a hearing if the adjuster does not pay the correct amount each week.  At a hearing, we can even request that the insurance company pay a 15% or 20% penalty plus assessed attorney fees.  In this way, you are protected, and the adjuster is forced to do the right thing.

Medical Benefits:

The adjuster also has to pay for your authorized workers’ compensation treatment. The difficult issue for the injured worker is knowing who they can treat with.  If you treat with a doctor who is not authorized, then the workers’ comp insurance adjuster doesn’t have to pay for it.

How do you know which doctor you can treat with?  The general rule is that the injured workers must select a doctor from the employer’s list of doctors.  This list is called the “Posted Panel of Physicians”.  However, most of the time, employers just send you to a doctor of their choice.  If you go to their doctor, then you have agreed to their choice.

How can we help?  If the Posted Panel does not follow the rules, then we can file a motion to invalid the panel.  Then you can go to any doctor you want.  However, if the panel is valid, then we can help you pick the best doctor from your employer’s list of doctors.

Can I change doctors?  There are many complicated rules that control how you can change doctors.  First, you can select another doctor from the Posted Panel of Physicians.  This is known as your “one free change”.  Secondly, you can have a one-time second opinion from a doctor.  However, this second opinion is only available if you have received a weekly check within 120 days.  Call us so we can let you know your rights.

Making the right decision about your medical treatment is critical.  If you make a mistake, then you will have to pay for your own treatment.  The Griffin Law Firm is here to help you navigate through these difficult treatment decisions.  In this way, you get all the medical treatment you are entitled to receive, and the adjuster had to pay for it.

Permanent Partial Disability Benefits:

These workers’ comp benefits pay the injured worker for any permanent loss of use of his or her body.  One of the factors that determines how much you will receive is the Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) rating that the doctor assigns.  Another factor is how much is your weekly comp rate. Without an attorney, you may not even be evaluated for a Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) rating.  When this happens, the insurance company gets to save money at your expense.

How does our firm help you with your Permanent Partial Disability Benefits?

  • We can help you get evaluated for a Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) rating.
  • Our firm can also get you a second opinion if the rating is lower than it should be.
  • If the adjuster does not pay them correctly, then we can request a hearing.
  • We can also use a projected Permanent Partial Disability rating in your settlement demand.
  • Our lawyers always use your Permanent Partial Disability Benefits (PPD) to negotiate higher settlements.

Free Permanent Partial Disability Evaluation:

Even if you are not our client, we will gladly let you know how much your Permanent Partial Disability Benefits should be.  You can call us at 800-624-4878 for this free evaluation.

Workers’ Comp Settlement:

Great workers’ compensation lump sum settlements don’t happen by accident.  Attorney Richard Griffin receives calls every month from injured workers who are trying to handle their case themselves.  In almost every case, these injured workers been offered very low offers or no offers at all.  However, great settlements are possible if you hire our experienced workers’ comp lawyers.  The Griffin Law Firm has a track record of negotiating big workers’ comp settlement.

To read more our track record of success: [Great Workers’ Compensation Settlements]

Can you lose your job because of your workers’ compensation claim?

  • Wrongful Termination: Georgia is a right to work state.  This means that employers can usually terminate an employee for any reason unless it is discriminatory.  Examples of discriminatory reasons would include race, religion, sex, national origin, or disability.  Our workers’ comp clients are almost never fired after hiring us.  This is probably because employers know we are there to protect our clients if they are wrongfully terminated.
  • Resignations: Many-times injured workers will call and ask if they will lose their job if they hire an attorney.  Resignations are never required to receive workers’ comp benefits.  This means that you can be paid medical benefits, weekly income benefits, or permanent impairment benefits without resigning. However, resignations are usually required when you are settling your workers’ comp case.  You can hire us to negotiate the best offer.  Then you can choose if you want to settle and resign or not. Often injured workers use their large settlement to help transition into a new career.

What are the best strategies for dealing with you adjuster?

Hire an Experienced Worker’s Comp Lawyer:

Hiring our workers’ comp law firm ensures that you will be paid everything you are entitled to receive.  We have negotiated great settlements with all of the major insurance companies.  These insurers include CNA Insurance, Zurich Insurance, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Gallagher Basset Insurance, State Farm Insurance, and many others.  You need to put our experience to work for you.

File a Motion to Invalidate the Posted Panel of Physicians:

Our law firm always files a motion to invalidate your employer’s panel of doctors when appropriate.  Posted Panel of Physicians are invalid when they do not follow the law.  Our attorneys are trained to identify invalid panels.  When this occurs, our clients can go to any doctor of their choice.

File a Motion for a Hearing and Litigate whenever needed:

The Griffin Law Firm requests a hearing whenever the insurance company is not doing what the law requires.  Examples of when a hearing is required include the following:

    • The adjuster fails to start the weekly income benefits when required.
    • Income benefits are stopped too soon by the insurance company.
    • The weekly income benefit check is lower than it should be.
    • The adjuster refuses to restart the weekly income benefit checks when the claimant attempt to work and can’t.
    • Insurance companies refuses to pay the income benefits when the employee is working light duty but earning less than before the accident.
    • Whenever the adjuster refuses to authorize needed medical treatment or testing that is recommended.
    • Medical bills are not paid on time by the workers’ comp insurance company.
    • The insurance company refuses to pay the claimant’s mileage and prescription expenses.
    • The adjuster does not agree to a catastrophic designation when the employee qualifies for this status.
    • Permanent Partial Disability rating evaluations are not authorized by the adjuster.
    • The adjuster refuses to pay the Permanent Partial Disability rating.

Should you handle your workers’ comp claim without an attorney?

It is usually not a good idea to represent yourself in your workers’ comp claim.  Without an attorney, you will be at the adjuster’s mercy.  This often results in reduced worker’s compensation benefits and no settlements.  The Griffin Law Firm is here to protect your workers’ comp rights and to get you the best possible settlement.

Call us today at 800-624-HURT (800-624-4878)

We can give you the answers you need and explain how we can help you maximize your workers’ comp claim to fully compensate you for your loss.