Independent contractors often don’t qualify to receive workers’ compensation benefits through their employer, but this doesn’t mean you’re out of options. At Bader Scott Injury Lawyers, a Savannah independent contractors attorney can determine if you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. If not, we can investigate the involvement of a third party in order to file a personal injury claim or lawsuit.
Regardless of your worker status, our legal team wants to help you recover compensation for your losses. If your injuries prevent you from working, we understand the personal and financial stress you must be under. We want to help you avoid that stress by handling the legal process on your behalf.
Compensation You Could Recover Through a Personal Injury Lawsuit
If liability falls on a third party, you may be eligible to file a claim or lawsuit against them. Our workers’ compensation attorney can investigate your accident to determine if someone else’s negligence led to your injury. If you meet the qualifications to file, then we can pursue the value of your financial and personal losses, including:
Medical Expenses
If your injuries require medical treatment, you can include the costs of your medical care in the claim. Examples of medical care you could require include:
- Hospitalizations
- Emergency room care
- Urgent Care treatments
- Doctor’s visits
- Prescription medications
- Over-the-counter medications
You could include any other costs related to medical care in your demands. Our personal injury team will help you account for all of these losses and expenses by collecting and analyzing documentation like bills, receipts, and evidence of your medical debt.
Lost Earnings
As an independent contractor, you likely don’t have paid time off (PTO) or other leave benefits. As a result, when you can’t work, you completely lose your income. Through a personal injury claim or lawsuit, our attorneys can help you recover compensation for the earnings you lost while you couldn’t work.
Depending on the severity of your injuries, you could miss work for weeks or years to come. If you’re suffering a long-term injury, you could recover future lost earnings, too. To recover these damages, your attorney must prove that your injuries prevent you from working and that you suffered damages because of it. Our attorneys can prove that by doing the following:
- Providing documentation from medical professionals indicating how long your injuries will prevent you from working.
- Including your pay stubs and proof of other earnings to demonstrate how much income you’ve lost as a result of your injuries.
Pain and Suffering
Injury victims who experience physical or emotional pain because of their injuries could recover compensation for pain and suffering. Here are a few examples of the kinds of suffering that may be eligible for compensation:
- Physical pain
- Physical discomfort
- Inconvenience
- Mental and emotional anguish
Our attorneys can speak to experts and use tools to determine how much compensation you are owed because of your suffering.
For a free legal consultation with a independent contractors lawyer serving Savannah, call (404) 888-8888
An Attorney Can Determine If You Qualify For Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Independent contractors often do not qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Usually, only employees can receive those benefits from their employer.
However, this isn’t always the case. To determine if you qualify, our team can look at your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance package and see if they provide any coverage for independent contractors. We may also be able to determine if you should be receiving workers’ compensation based on your role in the company.
If you are eligible for compensation through workers’ compensation benefits that you purchased, your attorney can communicate and negotiate with them for your compensation.
Who Generally Qualifies as an Independent Contractor?
Under Georgia law, independent contracts are generally restricted to certain roles in order to maintain their status. Our team will look at these criteria to see if you qualify as an employee and not an independent contractor:
- The employer can terminate you for failing to follow directions
- You are allowed to work for multiple employers at the same time
- Your employer decides your work hours and location
- Your employer provides your tools and resources
- You are paid per hour or per week, not per project
- You didn’t sign an independent contractor agreement
If these criteria ring true for you, you may still qualify as a general employee who should be receiving workers’ compensation benefits.
Savannah Independent Contractors Lawyer Near Me (404) 888-8888
Deadlines You Must Meet
If you or a loved one sustained an injury as an independent contractor, and a third party caused it, you can file a personal injury lawsuit. However, you must meet the statute of limitations. The statute of limitations dictates the deadline to file a lawsuit. Georgia laws define the statute of limitations for the following:
- Personal injury: If you or a loved one sustained an injury, O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 states you have two years from the day you sustained the injury to file a lawsuit against the person or entity who caused it.
- Wrongful death: If your loved one passed away from their injuries on the worksite, O.C.G.A. § 9-3-33 states you must file a lawsuit within two years from the date of their passing.
Once the statute of limitations expires, your chances to recover compensation are significantly lower. Our team can determine which deadline applies to your case, so we can track and manage them throughout the process.
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Contact Bader Scott Injury Lawyers For a Free Consultation
If you think you have a case, contact our team at Bader Scott Injury Lawyers. We have composed our team of strong, compassionate legal advocates that work tirelessly for injured people in Georgia. When you trust us to take on your case, you can rest assured that we go the extra mile for our clients.
Contact us today for a free consultation. During the consultation, our team will listen to your story and go over your legal options. After the consultation, you can decide if you want to move forward with our firm. The sooner you get started, the sooner we can begin the process of your financial recovery.
Call or text (404) 888-8888 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
