By: Nathaniel Hofman, Esq.
If you looked closely at hearing notices issued in the past few months, you may have noticed a warning to employers and insurers to file a WC-1 First Report of Injury within 21 days of the hearing notice to avoid penalties which may be assessed for failure to file. This warning on […]
By: Nathaniel Hofman, Esq.
65 is not necessarily the age of retirement anymore. In fact, the percentage of individuals age 65 and even older who are working is on the rise. This trend has been attributed to several causes, including the “great-recession,” shrinking pensions, expanding life expectancy, and an increased cost of living. As the working […]
By: Nathaniel Hofman, Esq.
Cumulative trauma injuries can be particularly tricky in the context of workers’ compensation. Commonly, there is no specific “onset” of injury, and subsequently there are often disputes over reporting. An employee can have minimal complaints of pain or discomfort that do not appear to rise to the level of injury, but for […]
By: Emily Anderson, Esq.
The Board has recently added language to its standard Hearing Notice, requiring employers and/or insurers to file a WC-1 within 21 days of the date of the notice. Not having a WC-1 on file could not only impact the employer/insurer’s defenses, but an administrative law judge can now also impose civil […]
By: Emily Anderson, Esq.
Any contractor who hires subcontractors wants to know whether the subcontractors have workers’ compensation insurance. We have recently seen issues arise where a subcontractor signs a contract stating they will obtain insurance, and may even provide a certificate of insurance, but it does not fully protect the contractor. If this […]
By: Emily Anderson, Esq.
The WC-240 process is an important tool for insurers and employers to reduce claim costs. It can help bring employees back to work, provides an opportunity to suspend benefits, and is a useful tactic to position a claim for settlement. We have a podcast on our website which reviews the […]
We are excited to announce that Alain Fernandez has joined the firm as our newest associate. His practice will concentrate on both workers’ compensation defense and civil litigation. Prior to KDA, Alain worked as a prosecutor for over eight years in various prosecutorial offices in the Washington, D.C. and Atlanta areas. He has a well-rounded […]
By: Tyler Jones, Esq.
With injuries such as mesothelioma and other long term “occupational disease” injuries, it can be difficult to pinpoint when and where a potentially compensable injury may have originated for purposes of a workers’ compensation claim. Even if the facts dictate that an injury or condition was likely caused by on-the-job exposure to […]
By: Tyler Jones, Esq.
It is rare to read a good report regarding the opioid crisis, but according to two recent studies, Georgia is included in a list of states that are effectively managing opioids by decreasing the number of opioids prescribed in workers’ compensation cases. According to a study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute, […]
By: Jennifer Smith, Esq.
The 2018 Georgia Workers’ Compensation Fee Schedule has just been released (the fee schedule is updated annually and published every April) and the most significant change is that the first Dental Fee Schedule is now available. In addition, every year there are typically increases in reimbursement amounts in general as well as […]
