You may have heard that a major bill was passed in the Georgia Senate. Senate Bill 135, a bill that raises the weekly wage maximum benefit for temporary disabilities, passed the Senate with a vote of 51-0.
Our own Tom Holder (co-founder of Gerber & Holder Attorneys At Law and president of the Workers’ Injury Law and Advocacy Group), had something to say about it.
He was recently quoted in an article on Workers’ Comp Central discussing the details of the new law and how it will impact workers across the state of Georgia.
Disability benefits increased
This is big news, considering this would mark the first time that temporary disability caps, including partial and total, have been raised in three years. On top of that, this is the biggest amount that it’s been raised by.
The increase is up by $100.
Permanent partial disability benefits would be raised as well with a jump from $575 per week to $675, moving Georgia’s benefit maximum to an above average amount compared to other Southeastern states, per a report by the Workers Compensation Research Institute.
Holder’s take on the benefit increase
Several months ago, Holder was asked to weigh in on the possible passing of the bill. Overall, he remains optimistic about the good this will bring to injured workers.
“While we would much prefer to see the maximum TTD rate indexed, as in most other states, we are glad to see this $100 per-week increase, which is the largest one-time increase,” Holder said. “Injured workers really need the financial help.”
In addition to an increase in disability benefits, the passing of Senate Bill 135 would also do away with the limit of 400 weeks on medical benefits regarding the removal, repair, or maintenance of prosthetic devices, durable medical equipment — including hearing aids, glasses, and spinal cord stimulators.
According to Holder, Georgia is one of three states in this country that have a cap on these medical benefits, and doing away with it will help injured workers tremendously.
If you were injured on the job, Holder and the other knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorneys here at Gerber & Holder are ready to help you receive the compensation you deserve. Give us a call to schedule your free consultation.
