Georgia Workers' Compensation Lawyer Blog

Suppose you are a truck driver or delivery person and have a crash while at work and "on the clock." You could probably benefit from having access to your "crash report," right?

Georgia has a new online service, BuyCrash.com, that will allow just that for as little as $5. 

Using a number of search options, such as name, date of crash or road of occurrence, motorists can conduct a search for the report and pay $10 for an online copy. A copy also is available via U.S. mail for $5. The new service is offered through a partnership with Open Portal Solutions and Georgia DOT.

For other tools that will help with your workers' compensation claim in Georgia, please feel free to contact the Atlanta workers' compensation attorneys at Moebes Law.

If you're hurt at work in Georgia, and your employer has a valid panel of physicians, you likely started your medical care with a doctor from that panel. Since these panels are chosen by workers' compensation insurance companies, however, the treating doctors' interests may not align with yours, and you may find that you do not agree with, or even like, your doctor.  Do you have options?

Certainly.  You're allowed a change in physician from the panel of doctors in Georgia.  If you've been on workers' comp disability benefits for several months, you may be able to get an independent medical evaluation (IME) at the workers' comp insurance company's expense.  Or, your Atlanta workers' compensation lawyer may set up and finance an IME for you. 

Whether the workers' compensation insurance company agrees to a change in physicians with you or not, there are options for making a change (your attorney can file a motion if need be).  Certainly, if your doctor is suggesting a treatment you're not comfortable taking, or if your doctor has released you to a job you know you can't perform, please explore some of these options for getting another opinion.  My Atlanta workers' comp lawyers are certainly willing to assist if need be.

Sadly, acts of violence in the workplace are not uncommon, and depending on the circumstances surrounding the attack, injuries sustained because of a coworker's or customer's violence can be covered under the Georgia Workers' Compensation Act.

One of my clients has attracted some local media attention because of the circumstances that precipitated her injury at work in Atlanta. Here is the first Fox 5 report regarding her story:

Another investigative reporter discussed the case with my office today, because he's seen an increase in attacks against women in the last year.  His continuing coverage of this event and this trend will be filmed early next week.

While I don't have any direct knowledge of this trend, a friend of mine created a blog last year that raises awareness regarding violence against women (and sometimes men) by acquaintances, spouses, and partners that I highly recommend visiting and supporting.  Its URL is violenceunsilenced.com.  I'm not the first person to opine that Maggie may be eligible for sainthood shortly.   

If you've been injured at work because of a coworker's or customer's act of violence, please contact the Atlanta workers' compensation attorney, Michael Moebes, for questions about compensability and your rights under the law.  As is referenced above, variables such as who the aggressor is, where the attack took place, and whether the attacker and victim had a relationship outside of the work environment can all affect whether the injury arose out of, and in the course of, employment.