North Georgia has several major carpet manufacturers including Mohawk Industries and Shaw Industries. Many of the carpet manufacturers are located in Dalton, Calhoun, or Cartersville.
Working in a carpet mill or for any company that manufactures flooring can be dangerous work. Some of the hazards employees encounter include:
Dangerous machinery
Motorized vehicles (forklifts, etc.)
Exposure to toxic chemicals
Electrocution hazards
Heavy lifting
Trip and fall hazards
Many employees in a carpet mill suffer some type of work-related injury over their period of employment. Because of this, they end up dealing with the Georgia workers compensation system.
Workers compensation can be very tricky. The workers compensation system has its own special rules. Unless you deal with workers compensation every day, you are at a disadvantage when it comes to dealing with the insurance company because the adjuster and other employees at the insurance company deal with workers compensation cases all the time.
Also, the insurance company has vastly different interests than you do when it comes to your workers compensation case. You want to make sure you receive the benefits you should and get the medical treatment you need so you can get better. But, the insurance company usually wants to get you released from a doctor’s care as soon as possible so your case will cost them less money.
Because of these conflicts, you will need to do a couple of things to make sure you get the benefits you should:
Understand the Georgia workers compensation system as well as you can
Consider hiring an attorney who specializes in workers compensation to make sure you are treated fairly
What happens if I get hurt while working at a carpet mill?
When you get hurt, you will need medical treatment. If your injury limits your ability to work, you may also have lost wages.
Two of the primary things that workers compensation pays for are medical treatment and lost wages. But, there are special rules about when and what workers compensation will pay for lost wages and medical treatment.
When your injury occurs, you do not know if your employer will do the right thing or not. Most people have never dealt with workers compensation before, so they do not know the first steps that they should take after an injury.
Medical benefits help you get the medical treatment you need to get better. These benefits allow you to see the doctor and get the medical treatment and testing the doctor recommends. One big advantage of workers compensation is that it covers one hundred percent of the cost of the medical treatment you need, but there are rules that determine what doctors the insurance company has to pay for.
Can I sue the carpet mill to recover damages for my injury?
Your rights to file a lawsuit against the carpet mill are often replaced by your workers compensation case when you have an on the job injury. The basic idea of workers compensation is that it provides a system that get you medical treatment and lost wages more quickly than if you had to file a lawsuit against your employer.
It does that by taking fault out of the system. It does not matter whose fault it is that you got hurt under workers compensation. The workers compensation system should cover you as long as your were doing your job when you were injured.
The law in Georgia makes workers compensation your exclusive remedy against your employer for your injury in most situations. This usually means that you cannot successfully file a separate lawsuit against your employer for your injury. But, you do have the workers compensation claim.
The good news in these situations is that you will not have to choose between the personal injury case and the workers compensation case. Generally, you can pursue both. But, make sure you talk to an attorney to understand how these two different types of claims work and how they affect each other.
What if I have other questions about workers compensation?
Georgia’s workers compensation system can be very confusing. You have to worry about getting the treatment you need and paying your bills while also worrying about not missing any deadlines that could cause you to lose your right to receive workers compensation benefits.
If you have questions, I would recommend that you try to get answers. To find out more about how to schedule a time to talk to me about your workers compensation questions, just read this short article.
Jason Perkins is an attorney who specializes in representing injured workers. He regularly publishes videos and write blog articles about Georgia’s workers compensation system and issues that are important to injured workers and their families.
To be notified of Jason’s new workers compensation videos, subscribe to his Georgia Workers Compensation Video Series channel on YouTube by clicking the subscribe button below.
It took me probably too long to finally get a lawyer when my work comp claim started and I had no idea what I should do. I read reviews and upon recommendation of several people started the process of getting a lawyer. I am fortunate and lucky to have come across Perkins Studdard. Jason and his team has taken care of me since the moment I first called them and made sure any and all questions I had were answered as well as working hard to get me my settlement so I can continue receiving treatment. If you're looking for a good law firm to represent you in your worker's compensation case I would highly highly recommend this one.Autumn Fields
I highly recommend Perkins Law Firm. Throughout the whole process Perkins team kept me updated and explained everything very well. I am very pleased with their work. You will not be disappointed!!trina flornce
Mr. Perkins and team...Tina* they have all been so awesome. Always available to talk to me with any concerns. Kept me informed on my case all the way. Greatly appreciated!Missy Cherry
Amazing! Jason and his team were very helpful and had the best communication by far. Walked me though every step with great detail and had answers for any question I had. They handled my case better then I could imagine, it was a weird case and they stayed on top of it and kept me updated every step of the way! Highly recommend this Team! Thanks so much to Jason and his Awesome team!
-BrittneyBrittney-lee orourke
This law firm is very good at what it does the staff and the lawyer's that were involved with my case all were very perfesional and curious I couldn't ask for a better law firm I want to thank everyone for a great job thanks Les RyanLeslie Ryan
I absolutely love this group of attorneys, when I was at my lowest they did everything they could to help me get justice for my injury. I believe if I were to have never picked my phone up and called the amazing group that helped me I definitely would not have received my idea of rights. If you have an issue and are just not sure please understand that they will help you, stay in contact, answer any question you have, and for sure get you the justice you deserve I thank them from the bottom of my heart and I will definitely refer them to anyone who has been hurt because they most definitely care about their work and clients.China Jones
The entire law office was attentive and responsive to all of my concerns dealing with my workers compensation case.Luv Locs
If you must get a lawyer involved, you’d do well to work with Jason Perkins and his team at Perkins Studdard Law.
They were thorough in gathering information and in sharing all the steps in the workers comp process specific to my case. Jason and the team were responsive to my bevy of questions and concerns.
I appreciated the informative videos and consultations provided by Jason over video meetings and multiple phone calls.
I hope I’m never injured on the job again. However, if I am and if my employer responds as my previous employer did, I’ll contact Perkins Studdard Law immediately to handle the case.moombi
Everyone at Perkins Studdard was kind and professional. They were always extremely responsive and answered all questions that I had and followed up to make sure I had an understanding of what was going on along with emailing videos to explain every step of my case so I would know what to expect and be prepared. Jason is a very genuine person and I trusted him with my case. He answered so many questions for me even before I retained him as my WC lawyer. I highly recommend him and his associates at Perkins Studdard.Dana Bess
Great staff and very knowlegable. They treat you like family and work hard to get you what you need. Highly recommended.Josh Carter
Navigating Georgia’s workers’ compensation system can be a daunting task, leaving you with numerous questions and uncertainties. If you find yourself in this situation, we strongly encourage you to seek clarification and find the answers you need. Perkins Studdard is here to help you through this process and provide the support you deserve.
