Caring, Personal Help After
A Serious Personal Injury

What if a work-related accident was my fault?

| Apr 27, 2018 | Workers' Compensation

Although the average Georgia worker tries hard to stay safe on the job, accidents can and do happen, even when there are no unsafe working conditions to speak of.

In fact, despite a worker’s general commitment to safety, he or she can easily make a one-time mistake on the job that causes or contributes to a serious accident. There are after all a lot of rules and procedures any worker is expected to remember, and some are also expected to know how to safely use different types of equipment or machinery.

While it is always ideal when workers take care of themselves and are able to stay safe, if a Georgia worker should slip and accidently hurt himself as a result, he need not fear being able to get help through Georgia’s workers’ compensation system.

This is because, as is the case in other states, Georgia’s work comp benefits are awarded on a no-fault basis. What this means is that, with few exceptions, as long as an injured worker can prove she got hurt while on the job, then she is entitled to benefits. She will not be expected to defend her own actions or even establish that the employer is somehow at fault for the employee’s injuries.

Because of the no-fault nature of Georgia’s workers’ compensation benefits, an injured worker who may be responsible for his or her own injuries should not hesitate to file a claim for benefits. Of course, the handling of these claims is still a complicated matter, and it is important for workers to have an advocate who understands the worker’s rights and is able to advocate for them.