What to Do After an Injury at Work? - The Law Office of Ellene Welsh

Injured At Work? Here’s What To Do.

If your workplace injury was sudden and severe, you may have been taken to the emergency room in an ambulance. Now, after the emergency is past, ongoing treatment and perhaps surgery or therapy lies ahead. You likely wonder about the financial, legal, and occupational consequences of your injury. What should you do next? What steps can you take to protect and maximize workers’ compensation benefits for which you may be eligible?

Consult with a workers’ compensation lawyer at the Law Office of Ellene Welsh. Call 770-489-3456 to schedule a free case analysis with us. We have offices in Douglasville and Columbus, and we advocate for workers throughout Georgia.

The First Step After A Workplace Injury

Perhaps your job-related injury was not a sudden, traumatic event, but rather, a medical condition that developed over time. You may not have seen a doctor at all yet, but you know or believe you were injured on the job. Perhaps you became ill because of your work environment or activities. You, too, wonder what to do.

Keep in mind that every case is unique. The best way to ensure your rights are protected is to contact a knowledgeable workers’ compensation lawyer at our firm who can evaluate the facts and advise you. Meanwhile, you can take action to help yourself:

Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Report your injury to your employer.
Make sure your employer prepares an accident report, and ask for a copy.
Keep detailed records of everything related to your injury, your recovery and communications with doctors and others handling your case. A calendar, a daily log and files containing bills and other official documents are all valuable tools. Details can become overwhelming in a hurry. This is another important reason to contact an attorney early in your case. The Law Office of Ellene Welsh can take over the tedious work of gathering, organizing, preserving and interpreting documentation for you.
Learn about your rights and about how to protect them. Again, having an attorney on your side is the best way to get all the information that you need — relevant to your case and in terms you can understand. If you need advice about which doctors to see (approved by the workers’ compensation system, with good reputations), an experienced lawyer can guide you in this and other decisions you may need to make. If your employer, the insurer or a health care professional tells you something that doesn’t sound right, you will have a knowledgeable advocate ready to watch out for you.
Take an experienced attorney’s advice about how and when to file a workers’ compensation claim to your best advantage. For example, you might want to wait until doctors give you a long-term prognosis before filing a claim for income benefits. However, you do not want to miss important deadlines. A lawyer on your side can help prevent mistakes like this.
Follow doctors’ advice about treatment, rest, therapy and follow-up care. It may be important to demonstrate that you are doing all you can to recover as fully as you can.
What about your job? A lawyer on your side can advise you on how to communicate with your employer and what to do if your boss tells you that you will lose your job.

For more complete, personalized instructions on what to do after an on-the-job accidental injury, talk to us at the Law Office of Ellene Welsh.

Hurt at work? Keep these 3 helpful tips in mind

1. You should seek compensation immediately

Fortunately, termination does not mean you can’t seek out workers’ compensation. Regardless of your employment status today, the injury took place on the job, so you deserve to get the medical treatment you need. In truth, if you are fired simply because of your injury and the request to make a claim, you could have a lawsuit against your employer for a wrongful termination, too.

By law, your employer is not able to discriminate against you by terminating you or laying you off if you have a temporary disability. The only exceptions are if your employer needs to fill your position due to business needs or if you will be unable to return to work.

2. Your employer must carry workers’ compensation

Your employer must carry workers’ compensation and file a claim if you are hurt in the course of employment. When you are hurt, report the injury to your captain or supervisor immediately, and ask to see a doctor. Request and fill in the workers’ compensation form to begin your claim. You have the right to medical treatment and see the company doctor when you first begin treatment. If you would like to change doctors, discuss this with your employer or the local Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

3. You may receive several benefits

Medical treatment is just one of many benefits you’re entitled to. Disability payments cover a portion of your lost wages if you are temporarily unable to work. Permanent disability covers your lost wages in the case that you’ve suffered a permanent, long-term disability. Vocational rehabilitation also provides paid training for a new job if you can’t go back to your old work.

Talk to your employer before seeking vocational rehabilitation and see if there is other work you can do instead of your old job. If not, transferring to another position in a different field may be an option. Before you go into a new occupation, the agency assesses your current physical skills. You have a choice while finding a new occupation and school for training. Each of these benefits comes from a private insurer that provides workers’ compensation benefits to your employer.

These are three important things to keep in mind when you’re considering a claim. If your claim is denied, you can appeal through your attorney.

Free Information, Advice And Advocacy For Injured Georgia Workers

If you wonder how to get the medical care and benefits you need after a work injury in west Georgia, contact us online or call 770-489-3456. Initial consultations are free. We look forward to the opportunity to advise and guide you with the goal of protecting your right to full, fair compensation.

Also, learn what to do if your job is making you ill. We represent Georgia workers who suffer from occupational diseases as well as those who have suffered traumatic injuries on the job.

We handle workers’ compensation cases on a contingency fee basis. In other words, you will not pay attorney’s fees until we help you recover compensation.

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The Law Office of Ellene Welsh Testimonials

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Avedis Smith

20:02 27 Jul 23

When I first got my review denial letter from SSA and had to appeal I was crushed...I contacted several lawyers and no one wanted to take my case. I contacted Ellene Welsh law firm and spoke with Annette and told her about my situation(she spoke with Attorney Welsh) they agreed and took my case. Let me tell you, they are so thorough...they took the time to explain everything to me each step of the way and obtained all medical records, worked endlessly with my SSA hearing officer, and help ease my anxiety. I'm happy to write after a long battle I received a fully favorable decision with no hearing!! If you need a office that will work tirelessly for you then look no further...Thankyou so much to Attorney Welsh and Annette...

Donl Atkins

21:47 02 Jan 23

Mrs Welsh and her staff were so helpful. They kept me informed every step of the way and I received a better decision than I expected.Would hire them again if needed.

Reign Supreme

17:19 02 Nov 22

Friendly, professional and attentive. I was made to feel comfortable asking questions.

Debra A Brittian-Thomas

23:16 19 Oct 22

Kimberly Hanback

17:04 05 Oct 22

I had tried to get my disability first with a different lawyer and was turned down. When I called thier office to ask about an appeal they said they couldn't help me and was very rude and hung up on me. Found another lawyer who did my appeal was turned down. I called Ellene Welsh and her and her staff were very nice and helpful. Of course it was during the pandemic so we had to do things differently but she helped me and I won my case. Anytime I had a question they were very helpful and nice. If I could just say if you need a great lawyer with a great staff call her. They will fight for you. Love them.

kyle croft

20:29 11 Jul 22

After being denied by SSD , I called the Law offices of Ellen Welsh and she got my disability claim approved. Her employees were professional and easy to work with. They took care of everything. I would highly recommend this law firm to anyone needing help with their SSD CLAIM

Kris Arhart

17:46 02 Feb 22

Ms. Ellene Welsh Came recommended from another attorney. The whole process with her office was as smooth as it can be. If you have never had to use a attorney before let me explain something I learned. Every great attorney has a amazing Paralegal / assistant or more behind them. Ms. Welsh team made contact As easy as I can get. Whether it be by phone or email. Thank Ms. Welsh and your amazing office for all the hard work yall did to make this process as easy as possible.

Pam Scheib

02:49 01 Feb 17

I became a client of Ellene's 3 years ago. When I first met Ellene she took a great deal of time to go over my denied paperwork from Social Security. She explained it was not a quick process and we would be looking at least another year to eighteen months before a hearing. She explained every step! When I had questions Becky and other office staff were always there to walk me through my questions and ease my mind and at times frustrations. Never along this journey did I feel ignored or abandoned. Ellene's staff got all my records together for my hearing and thanks to their hard work we got an immediate decision. It is very rare, I knew it was a good case going in, but Ellene made sure every "I" was dotted and every "T" was crossed. She was excellent in front of the judge and knows what she is doing. It was her 20 plus years experience that makes her so good! I can't thank Ellene and her staff enough for all their time, hard work and dedication in helping me with my case. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a Social Security Disability Attorney.