Jul 5, 2022
What Responsibilities Does My Employer Have After My Injury?
Nate Hansford
What Can I Expect From My Employer After a Work Injury?
While employees who sustain an injury in the workplace have a duty to report their incident and seek medical treatment, employers also have several duties to their workers in the aftermath. Whether you are a part-time, seasonal, or full-time salaried employee, here is what you can expect from your employer following a workplace accident that left you injured.
Filing of a First Report of Injury Form
Under Georgia law, employers must complete a WC-1 or Employer’s First Report of Injury or Occupational Disease form within seven days of learning about the workplace injury. This form must be sent to the workers’ compensation insurance provider—not doing so may result in a penalty under law. The WC-1 documents the employee’s injury and notifies the insurer that a claim has been made.
Provide Information on Available Physicians in the Area
Although this information should already be readily available or posted in the workplace where employees can access it, the employer has three business days to provide their employee with information on six available physicians who can treat their work-related injury or illness. Not having this information is subject to penalty under Georgia state law.
Generally, employees should also be notified of the workers’ compensation insurance provider where they can make their claim. It is important to note that if an employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance, they can still be held liable for the employee’s medical expenses and lost wages.
Provide a Safe Workplace
Employers are required to provide their employees with a safe workplace. This includes taking measures to prevent workplace accidents and injuries from occurring. If an employer fails to do so and an employee is injured as a result, the employer can be held liable for the employee’s damages.
Atlanta Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
At Hansford McDaniel – Workers’ Compensation Attorneys, we’ve spent decades ensuring that injured workers receive the benefits and duty of care they are entitled to following a workplace injury. If you need legal assistance in filing or appealing a workers’ compensation claim, call 770-922-3660 to learn how we can help.
