Georgia Law Could Result In Bigger Workers’ Comp Payouts

Payouts for workers’ compensation claims are on the rise after a bill passed earlier this year by the Georgia General Assembly took effect July 1.

The result is an increase in costs for employers and carriers handling the claims, but an Atlanta workers’ comp attorney says he doesn’t think the change will impact most cases.
‘The change in rate is not likely to have as much of a financial impact on employers and insurers, as it will on a small subset of injured workers,’ said Jeff K. Stinson, partner at Swift, Currie, McGhee & Hiers in Atlanta. ‘The maximum potential lost-time benefit this provides over the course of a claim is an increase of $20,000 over the maximum allowed 400 weeks.’

Under House Bill 1409, the Georgia General Assembly provided for an increase in the maximum temporary total disability, temporary partial disability and permanent partial disability rates.