If an employee is injured on the job in Georgia, the employee is generally entitled to medical, rehabilitation, and financial benefits to help the employee return to work. However, an “injury” compensable under Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation Act has to meet certain requirements. A compensable injury is limited to an injury by accident arising out of and in the course of employment. It may include an aggravation of a preexisting condition that arises out of and in the course of employment.
Generally, a compensable injury does not include diseases. Most workers’ compensation claims involve occupational injuries rather than occupational diseases. However, a disease is compensable when it “results naturally and unavoidably from the accident.” O.C.G.A. § 34-9-1. Distinguishing a disease from an injury is not always clear. If an employee develops a disease from a sudden and unexpected exposure to an injurious risk at work, the injury will typically be an occupational injury. However, if a claimant’s disease arises from an expected, gradual exposure to a risk, the disability will generally be considered an occupational disease. For example, an employee who develops an injury after being exposed to a risk gradually over a long period of time would generally have an occupational disease claim.
If employment contributes to an injury, it is normally considered an accident and is compensable. An accident generally means an event that was not expected or designed. Injuries resulting from haste and inattentiveness are also generally covered under the Workers’ Compensation Act.
Chamblee, GA Employees Say Office is Infested with Bed Bugs
According to one news source, employees at a company in Chamblee, Georgia claim the company is forcing them to work in a building infested with bed bugs. The company is a call center with about 600 employees. The employees say that there are bed bugs all over and that some employees have been getting bite marks. They claim that despite the infestation, they are still being forced to go to work.
The manager of the building said there has been a bed bug problem for the past couple months. The manager said that the company “is doing all that they could possibly do to make sure that the place is being treated.” The company says they are trying to control the infestation, but the treatment could take from three months to six years to get it under control. Employees say they have no choice but to face the bed bugs in order to keep their job.
Have You Suffered a Work-Related Injury?
If you have suffered an injury at work, you may be able to recover workers’ compensation benefits. At the Georgia law office of J. Franklin Burns, P.C., we offer quality legal representation and responsive client service. Our attorneys and staff are friendly and approachable, and we take the time to talk to you about your case. Our office has decades of collective experience handling workers’ compensation claims. For knowledgeable representation by experienced injury attorneys, call us at 404-920-4708 or contact us through our online form.
