If you are fired after your job injury, you need a lawyer now more than ever. Everyone in America has a right to legal representation by an attorney. These rights are given to workers injured in work accidents and seek workers’ compensation benefits in Georgia.
It is not acceptable for an employer to retaliate against an employee for hiring a lawyer to assist with their workers’ comp claim – or for any reasons connected to their workers’ compensation status. We can recover extra money if you are fired after hiring an attorney, including penalties and additional attorney fees.
The workers’ compensation lawyers at Parsons & Associates, P.C., are ready to stand by you if your employer intentionally tries to fire you after filing a workers’ comp claim. If you have already been fired in retaliation for seeking workers’ compensation, we can aggressively pursue all legal means to correct this wrong.
Parsons & Associates has over 25 years of experience standing up for injured workers in Georgia. Contact us today for personal service. We will return your call within 24 hours.
Workers’ Comp Assistance Without Employer Retaliation
Employers have the right to terminate workers “at will” in Georgia as long as it is not for an illegal reason – such as discrimination – or as retaliation for reporting a work injury and seeking workers’ compensation benefits.
Georgia law specifies that an employer cannot fire an injured worker as retaliation for filing a workers’ compensation claim. Though it does not say that a worker cannot be fired for hiring a lawyer to assist with a workers’ comp claim, the spirit of the anti-retaliation law holds that such an employee would be protected.
In addition, Georgia’s State Board of Workers’ Compensation states that “Everyone has the right to represent him or herself. … You may need help from a lawyer in order to present your claim properly.”
Further, federal laws protect you from retaliation, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
You are protected if you choose to speak with our lawyers about any issues you face at work. It is still possible, however, for some employers to act out.
The following are possible examples:
- Assaults and harassment
- Insults or rudeness
- Creating a schedule for you that is intentionally lacking assignments, tasks, or hours
- Docking money from your paycheck
- Terminating you from your job
- Negative consequences of other kinds
At Parsons Law Group, we can determine what action to take against your employer if any of these situations happen to you.
If you have been terminated or threatened with termination after hiring us to assist with your workers’ compensation claim in Georgia, you should report this to our lawyers immediately. Our attorneys will, in turn, report it to the Workers’ Compensation Board without delay.
We will also contact your employer on your behalf. In some cases, just hearing from a lawyer experienced with Georgia workers’ compensation cases will make an employer back down.
If your employer proceeds to act improperly, you may be entitled to pursue civil litigation in some cases. It will be important that you have not done anything to warrant termination of your employment, such as performing job functions poorly or breaking company rules.
We can work to ensure you receive the workers’ comp benefits you deserve and that your employer does not punish you for doing so.
Contact Our Georgia Workers’ Compensation Attorneys
You have rights if you have been harmed by a work-related accident or illness, including the right to workers’ compensation and legal representation. A workers’ compensation lawyer at Parsons Law Group, can provide legal assistance and ensure you receive the benefits you need and deserve.
Contact us today in Atlanta or Savannah for a free review of your claim. You can reach us by phone or by filling out our online contact form.
Source:
Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers About Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation Law