In 2025, the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation (SBWC) rolled out a series of rule updates that affect how claims are handled, how medical treatment is authorized, and how disputes are resolved. These changes can directly influence how quickly injured workers get medical care, whether their benefits are delayed, and what happens when a claim is challenged.
Many injured workers assume that once they report an injury, the process more or less runs on autopilot. In reality, workers’ comp claims involve strict procedural rules, deadlines, and paperwork requirements. Even small changes to those rules can create problems if you don’t know what to expect.
Let’s break down five key things injured workers in Georgia must know about the 2025 workers’ comp rule changes. We’ll explain what’s new, why it matters, and how these updates could affect your current or future claim. If you have further questions about a recent work injury, you can learn more by contacting the experienced Georgia workers’ compensation attorneys of Perkins Studdard LLC at (770) 285-0548.
Change #1: Medical Authorization and Who Pays Outstanding Medical Bills in Settlements
One of the most important 2025 rule updates for injured Georgia workers involves how medical expenses are addressed in no-liability workers’ comp settlements. While this change may seem merely technical, it has real consequences for whether an injured worker could be left dealing with unpaid medical bills after a case resolves.
Clarification to Rule 15(o) for No-Liability Settlements
Under the SBWC’s 2025 changes, Rule 15(o) has been revised to clarify what must be included when parties submit a no-liability settlement. In these cases, the employer and insurer do not formally admit responsibility for the injury, but the claim is resolved through a negotiated payment.
The updated rule now requires the parties to submit a Compensation Memorandum that clearly states:
- The amount paid directly to the injured worker
- Any attorney’s fees and expenses
- Which party is responsible for outstanding medical expenses
- Required settlement language under existing subsections of Rule 15
The SBWC clarified that the required “breakdown of compensation” does not include a dollar amount allocated to medical expenses themselves. Instead, the focus is on identifying who is responsible for paying any unpaid medical bills related to the claim.
Why This Change Matters to Injured Workers
Before this clarification, settlement documents could be confusing or incomplete when it came to medical bills. Injured workers sometimes assumed medical expenses were covered, only to face collection notices later. The revised rule is designed to reduce that risk by forcing the issue to be addressed directly before a settlement is approved.
For injured workers, this means more transparency, but also more responsibility to review settlement paperwork carefully. Before agreeing to any no-liability settlement, injured workers should make sure the settlement documents explicitly state who pays outstanding medical expenses.
Change #2: New Deadlines for Rehabilitation Objections
Another 2025 rule change involves deadlines for objecting to rehabilitation decisions. This update establishes a consistent timeline for how much time an injured worker has to protect their rights.
Conflicting Deadlines in Previous SBWC Rules
Before the 2025 changes, Georgia workers’ compensation rules contained a built-in inconsistency that caused confusion for injured workers and their attorneys:
- Rule 61(b)(54) allowed parties 20 days to object to issues related to rehabilitation services.
- Rule 200.1(II)(H)(3), however, provides only 15 days to object to a change in a catastrophic rehabilitation supplier.
This mismatch created uncertainty about which deadline applied, which put injured workers at risk of missing a critical objection window simply because the rules were unclear.
The 2025 Fix: A Uniform 20-Day Objection Period
To address this issue, the SBWC amended Rule 200.1(II)(H)(3) to align with Rule 61(b)(54). Under the updated rule, any objection to a change in a catastrophic rehabilitation supplier must be filed within 20 days of the certificate of service.
This rule also specifies that objections must be submitted using the appropriate WC-Rehab Objection Form, along with reasons supporting the objection. By standardizing the objection deadline to 20 days, the SBWC is reducing confusion for injured workers.
Change #3: Electronic Delivery of Hearings, Awards, and Orders
One of the more practical 2025 changes affects how injured workers receive important notices from the State Board of Workers’ Compensation. Going forward, email may be the main way the Board communicates with you about your case.
What the Rule Change Actually Does
Under the updated Rule 102(E)(7), the SBWC is allowed to send notices of hearings, awards, and official orders by email to the parties and their attorneys. If email isn’t available, the Board will still use regular U.S. mail, but electronic delivery is now expressly permitted under the rules.
That means some of the most important documents in your workers’ comp case may show up in your email inbox, rather than your home mailbox.
Why This Matters
For injured workers, this change cuts both ways. Email is faster, but it’s also easier to miss. Missing an email could cause real problems, such as:
- Not showing up for a scheduled hearing
- Missing a deadline to respond to or appeal an order
- Losing the chance to challenge a decision that affects your benefits
The Board will still treat these emails as official notice, even if you didn’t see them right away. Injured workers should be more careful about their contact information and email habits. Make sure the Board has an email address you actually use, check it regularly, and don’t ignore messages that appear to come from the SBWC or its e-filing system. Injured workers also need to check junk email folders regularly to make sure that important notices, orders, or awards do not get put into a junk email folder.
Change #4: New Rules on Attorney’s Fees Taken From Medical Benefits
Another 2025 rule change focuses on how attorneys can be paid in workers’ compensation cases, particularly when it comes to money for medical care. While this update is aimed at lawyers, it directly affects injured workers because it helps protect funds meant for treatment.
What the Updated Rules Say
The SBWC has proposed changes to Rules 108(b)(8) and 15(e) that reinforce a basic principle in Georgia workers’ comp cases: attorneys generally cannot take a percentage of medical benefits.
Under the revised rules, an attorney is not allowed to collect a fee from medical treatment or medical expenses unless a very specific exception applies. That exception comes into play when:
- Wage benefits are no longer available to the injured worker
- The attorney continues representing the worker on medical or other non-wage issues
- The case ends in a final settlement that closes out future medical benefits
In these situations, the attorney may ask the Board to approve a quantum meruit fee, which is a fee based on the actual value of the work performed, not a percentage of medical costs.
How the Board Decides Whether a Fee is Fair
The updated rules spell out what the SBWC will look at when deciding whether to approve this type of fee. Factors to be considered include, but are not limited to:
- The real value of the legal work performed
- How long the attorney continued to represent the worker after income benefits ended
This gives the Board more oversight and limits the risk of excessive fees cutting into money that would otherwise go toward medical care.
How This Protects Injured Workers
Medical treatment is often the most important and most expensive part of a workers’ compensation claim. These rule changes help make sure settlement money meant to cover treatment isn’t quietly reduced by fees that don’t match the work done while at the same time making sure that injured workers who need help getting medical care can obtain much needed legal representation.
Change #5: Important Updates to Workers’ Comp Forms in 2025
The SBWC’s 2025 changes also include updates to key Georgia workers’ compensation forms. These may seem minor at first glance, but forms control how claims move through the system. Small wording changes can have real legal effects.
Update to Form WC-200a
One change affects Form WC-200a, which is commonly used in claim proceedings. The Board updated language in Section C2, changing the word “remain” to “be.” This adjustment was made in response raised in the City of Atlanta v. Sebastian case and is intended to clarify how the form is interpreted moving forward.
While this change is technical, it matters because WC-200a filings can influence how a claim is categorized and how disputes are framed. For injured workers, it’s another reminder that even standard forms should be completed carefully and accurately.
Update to Form WC-207 and Medical Privacy
Another notable update applies to Form WC-207, which authorizes the release of medical information. The revised form now clearly states that it does not allow the disclosure of protected reproductive health information. Any such disclosure would require a separate, specific authorization under federal HIPAA rules.
This change strengthens privacy protections for injured workers and limits how broadly insurers can request medical records. It also helps prevent overly invasive requests that have nothing to do with the workplace injury.
Why These Form Changes Matter
Forms are often treated as routine paperwork, but they determine what information gets shared and how claims are decided. These updates give injured workers clearer boundaries, both in how claims are processed and in how much personal medical information must be disclosed.
What Injured Workers Should Do Next Under the 2025 Rule Changes
With these rule changes taking effect in 2025, injured workers in Georgia should take a more careful approach to their workers’ compensation claims.
First, pay close attention to any communication from the State Board of Workers’ Compensation. Make sure your contact information is up to date and check your email regularly, including spam folders.
Second, be cautious when reviewing settlement paperwork, especially no-liability settlements. Do not assume medical bills are covered unless the documents clearly say who is responsible for them. If the language is unclear, that is a sign to slow down and ask questions before signing anything.
Third, act quickly when rehabilitation services are involved. If you disagree with a change in a catastrophic rehabilitation provider, the clock is already ticking. The new 20-day window gives more time than before, but it still passes quickly if you are not prepared.
Finally, consider speaking with a Georgia workers’ compensation attorney if you are unsure how these changes apply to your case.
Discuss Your Case With Our Georgia Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
If you’ve recently been injured while working in Georgia, it’s important to be aware of the new 2025 workers’ comp rule changes and how they might affect your case. At Perkins Studdard LLC, our Georgia workers’ comp lawyers help injured Georgia workers throughout the claims process. Contact us today at (770) 285-0548 to discuss your workers’ comp claim in a free consultation.
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