Legal Question in Workers Comp in Georgia

Re: value of injury

In Georgia the middle finger is assigned 35 weeks of benefits for a total loss of the finger. Yours was crushed. The opinion of the doctor as to whether the finger has any function after reaching maximum medical improvement is very important. It being your primary (dominant)hand, the injury may have a much greater impact on your functional capacity than if it were your non-primary (non-dominant) hand. These factors and more all have a bearing on the value of your claim for settlement purposes.

As to your question regarding whether you need an attorney or not, I very much recommend that you consult with counsel before attempting any settlement discussions for the reason your claim will have far greater value than the specific member disability provisions of the act will lead one to believe. Your attorney will know whether and to what extent the various considerations will make your particular claim more or less valuable in your specific case. Knowing all the factors involved in your claim, will put him or her in a position to make an informed recommendation to you and a demand which will realize the best possible recovery for you. At the same time there may also be issues of whether the medical ought to remain open for a period of time or not.

Re: value of injury

It is difficult to put a value on a workers� compensation claim without additional information. Relevant questions are: do you need additional medical treatment or are you stable (at MMI); do you have permanent restrictions and limitations; has your doctor assigned a permanent impairment rating for your injury; what is your workers� compensation benefit rate; are you back at work making your pre-injury wages; etc. A relatively minor injury with a low impairment rating and no permanent restrictions will result in a low settlement and you may not need an attorney to negotiate the settlement yourself. A consultation with an attorney should be free so it may be to your benefit to call an attorney who is familiar with workers� compensation in order to get some advice after giving the attorney more details about your case. Good luck.

Re: value of injury

I would need a great deal more information to evaluate your case. It all depends on the doctor's opinion regarding your disability rating, how much you made at work, etc. Please contact me directly if you wish to discuss.