Suffering an on-the-job injury can be a harrowing experience. In addition to the pain and discomfort of the injury itself, there are often worries about keeping the bills paid and getting adequate medical care.

To top it off, the injured worker is most often forced to deal with the red tape and bureaucracy of an insurance company who is choosing the doctors and controlling the amount of benefit checks, if any, that are issued to the injured worker. As an experienced Atlanta Workers' Compensation Attorney, I have helped thousands of Georgia clients protect their rights.

Call my office immediately if you need legal assistance with:

• Georgia Workers’ Compensation Law
  
• Catastrophic Injury
• Orthopedic injuries
• Back injuries
• Amputations
• Construction and Industrial Accidents
• Retaliatory Discharge From Workers' Compensation Claims

Protecting the Rights of Working People:
Georgia Workers' Compensation laws provide protection for people who become injured while working in the line and scope of their employment. Occupational diseases and gradual injuries are also covered. Work injury laws cover every type of employee in every type of job -- including factory workers, office workers, supervisors, clean-up crew workers, computer technicians, heavy equipment operators and others. As a skilled Atlanta Workers' Compensation Attorney, I understand what it is like to suffer from a work injury, and I have the experience and knowledge to guide you through the process while protecting your legal rights.

Injured workers can obtain benefits even if they were at fault for causing the injury suffered. There are Workers' Compensation laws, but one needs a good attorney to interpret them and stake a legitimate claim. If you, a family member or friend gets hurt at work, please call my office immediately, so that I can offer proper advice on an injury claim.

As an employee, your rights by law include:

• If you are injured on the job, you may receive medical rehabilitation and income benefits. These benefits are provided to help you return to work. Your dependents may also receive benefits in the event that you die as a result of a job-related injury.
• Your employer is required to post a list of at least four doctors or the name of the certified WC/MCO which provides medical care. You may choose a doctor from the list and make one change to another doctor on the list without the permission of your employer. However, in an emergency, you may get temporary medical care from any doctor until the emergency is over, then you must get treatment from a doctor who is on the posted list.
• Your authorized doctor bills, hospital bills, rehabilitation in some cases, physical therapy, prescriptions, and necessary travel expenses will be paid if injury was caused by an accident on the job.
• You are entitled to weekly income benefits if you have more than seven days of lost time due to an injury. Your first check should be mailed to you within 21 days after the first day you missed work. If you are out more than 21 consecutive days due to your injury, you will be paid for the first week.
• In all other cases (non-catastrophic), you are entitled to receive two-thirds of your average weekly wage but no more than $500.00 per week for a job related injury. You will receive these weekly benefits as long as you are totally disabled but no longer than 400 weeks. If you are not working and it is determined that you have been capable of performing work with restrictions for 52 consecutive weeks or 78 aggregate weeks, your weekly income benefits will be reduced to two-thirds of your weekly average wage but no more than $334.00.

Here are some employee responsibilities:

• You should follow written rules of safety and other reasonable policies and procedures of the employer.
• You must report any accident immediately, but not later than 30 days after the accident, to your employer, your employer's representative, your foreman or immediate supervisor. Failure to do so may result in losing your benefits.
• You must accept reasonable medical treatment and rehabilitation services when ordered by the State Board or Workers' Compensation or the Board may suspend your benefits.
• No compensation shall be allowed for an injury or death due to employee's willful misconduct.
• You must notify the insurance carrier/employer of your address when you move. You should notify your insurance carrier/employer when you are able to return to full-time or part-time work and report the amount of your weekly earnings because you may be entitled to some income benefits though you have returned to work.

• $196,000 for a hand injury
• $130,000 for a back injury
• $235,000 for abdominal impalement
• $300,000 for a back injury
• $300,000 for a shoulder injury
• $298,000 for a back injury

If you or someone you know in the Atlanta area or throughout Georgia needs the assistance of an experienced Workers' Compensation Attorney, call Jeff Klein today at 866-822-4398, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

Workers' Compensation:
Workers' compensation is insurance that an employer is required by law to carry in case an employee is injured on-the-job or becomes ill, temporarily or permanently disabled, or fatally injured due to circumstances surrounding his or her job

Although workers' compensation laws vary from state to state, covered medical care generally includes medical, surgical and hospital services, dental services, crutches, hearing aids, chiropractic treatment, physical therapy, nursing care and prescribed medications.  Additional monetary compensation may be provided if an injured employee is temporarily unable to work for more than a certain number of calendar days set by state law, hospitalized as an in-patient, or becomes permanently disabled due to a job-related injury or illness.  The right to receive medical treatment at the employer's expense typically continues as long as treatment is reasonable and necessary to treat the injury.

Orthopedic Injuries:
Orthopedic injuries can include injuries involving the spine, bones, joints, muscles, nerves and other parts of the skeletal system.  The most common orthopedic injuries are bone fractures, sprains and strains.  Sprains describe an injury to a ligament and strains describe an injury to muscle.  Treatment for orthopedic injuries include medical counseling, medications, casts, splints and therapies, such as exercise or surgery.

Construction/Industrial Accidents:
Construction labor makes up one of the three most dangerous occupations in the United States today; each year producing thousands of debilitating injuries and wrongful deaths.  Factors that contribute to construction accidents include workers lifting loads with worn and weathered cables, working on elevated platforms without fall protection or wearing defective safety harnesses and lanyards, and/or working in trenches with improper benching and using outdated tools and equipment.

Construction site personal injury law is not practiced nor understood by many personal injury attorneys.  As a result, many personal injury construction claims are often subject to mediocre representation and minimal financial compensation due to improper legal counsel.  Injured construction workers are urged to seek a workers' compensation attorney who is knowledgeable in a variety of construction techniques and has successfully litigated numerous construction site personal injury cases.

Retaliatory Discharge:
If an individual is terminated from their place of employment after reporting a workers' compensation claim, he or she could be entitled to substantial damages in a retaliatory discharge lawsuit against their former employer.

Federal laws prohibit an employer from discharging or discriminating against an employee because of a workers' compensation injury.  If an employer fires or forces the resignation of an injured employee in retaliation for filing a workers' compensation claim, the employee can file a civil lawsuit against the employer seeking damages in court, provided the employee has evidence of such an allegation.  Also, if an employer denies permission for immediate medical attention following a work-related injury, or does not permit an employee to seek out the services of other medical professionals in conjunction with assigned company doctors, the employee can seek legal retribution under workers' compensation laws.

If you or someone you know in the Atlanta area or throughout Georgia needs the assistance of an experienced Workers' Compensation Attorney, call Jeff Klein today at 866-822-4398, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

If you or someone you know in the Atlanta area or throughout Georgia needs the assistance of an experienced vWorkers' Compensation Attorney, call Jeff Klein today at 866-822-4398, or complete the contact form provided on this site to schedule your free consultation.

ADDRESS OF THE FIRM:
Jeff S. Klein, P.C.
1875 Old Alabama Road, Suite 740
Roswell, GA 30076
Telephone: 866-822-4398
Fax: 770-650-6393

MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:

Jeff S. Klein
Jeff Klein, one of the leading workers' compensation and personal injury lawyers, went to undergraduate school on an academic scholarship and went to Emory University law school on a partial scholarship. He graduated in 1982 at the top of his class.

Jeff spent the first seven years of his career in the Law Department for the City of Atlanta where he learned to become a trial attorney. He was promoted several times and left in 1989 to form his own firm. At that time he was an Assistant City Attorney and head of the division responsible for providing legal representation and all litigation for the City of Atlanta's Department of Public Safety.

While Jeff was a government attorney he represented The Joint City County Board of Tax Assessors and The City of Atlanta's License Review Board. He was also the attorney for Hartsfield International Airport for two years when he represented the City of Atlanta's Department of Aviation.

His years of experience have helped him to become one of the most highly regarded Atlanta workers' compensation and personal injury lawyers. Jeff currently practices only in these two areas of the law. He will only represent the accident victim or injury victims, and does not represent any insurance companies.

All of Jeff's cases involve serious bodily injuries or wrongful death. In the area of personal injury his practice concentrates on motor vehicle accidents including car, motorcycle and tractor trailer wrecks. Jeff also represents clients who receive bodily injuries due to medical malpractice or who are hurt as a result of negligence occurring at work or other locations. Jeff tries to limit the number of cases he takes so that he can personally work on each client's matter. He works hard to practice ethically and honestly and adhere to the rules of conduct that govern the legal profession. His high ideals and work ethics make him the most sought after personal injury and workers' compensation attorney in Atlanta.