As a Georgia lawyer when I evaluate a case for settlement
the actual "value" of a lost body part is only a small part of the total value of the compensation claim.
The key questions have to do with your future employment history and what your medical providers tell me we can expect in the future for your case.
But, one factor in determining the value of the claim is the value of what is called permanent partial disability (PPD for short). Many body parts have been assigned a weekly value rating. A leg is worth more than a hand, a hand is worth more than a toe, an arm is worth more than a foot and the whole body is worth most of all.
Georgia workers compensation law states, a leg is worth 225 weeks of your weekly benefit check. A Foot is worth 135 weeks, a Great Toe is worth 30 weeks an ear is worth 75 weeks, etc. etc.
The imbalance comes in when there is a difference in earning capacity. 100 weeks of someone who has a weekly benefit of $500 is $50,000 and 100 weeks of someone who has a weekly benefit of $85 is only $8,500. Same body part, same injury, just two different folks making different amounts of income.
Doesn't sound fair does it?
I mean, first of all, nobody is going to want to give up ANY body part for any amount of money. But, Georgia workers compensation law states, when the body part is lost, this is how the PPD calculation is done.
High income earners simply have a more valuable case than low income earners because the exposure of the employer/insurer is higher. Not fair, but that's the way the workers compensation law is written in Georgia.
But, again, the PPD value is only a small portion of the value of your claim.
DO NOT allow the insurance rip you off and only offer you PPD value for your claim.
Call an experienced attorney to help you evaluate the proper settlement value for your claim. Whether you call it workers compensation, workman's compensation, workers comp or work comp, protect your rights and get advice that will help you get the
FULL value of your claim.
