Georgia Workers' Compensation: Deadlines, Benefits and How to File
Georgia workers' comp rules: who must carry it, deadlines to report and file, weekly benefit rate and maximum, choosing a doctor, appeals and retaliation.
Quick answers for Georgia
- Deadline to report the injury
- Report any accident immediately, and no later than 30 days after the accident, to your employer, the employer's representative, your foreman or immediate supervisor. Failing to do so may result in loss of benefits. O.C.G.A. § 34-9-81.1; State Board of Workers' Compensation, WC-Bill of Rights for the Injured Worker (rev. 07/2023)
- Deadline to file a claim
- File a claim (Form WC-14) with the State Board within one year from the date of the accident. If the employer paid for authorized medical treatment, the claim may be filed within one year after the last authorized medical treatment; O.C.G.A. § 34-9-82; State Board of Workers' Compensation, WC-Bill of Rights; Workers' Compensation Law FAQs
- Weekly benefit rate
- Temporary total disability pays two-thirds of the worker's average weekly wage (based on the 13 weeks before the accident), up to the state maximum. O.C.G.A. §§ 34-9-261, 34-9-262; State Board of Workers' Compensation, WC-Bill of Rights; Summary of Provisions
- Maximum weekly benefit
- For accidents on or after July 1, 2023, the maximum weekly benefit is $800 for total disability (catastrophic and non-catastrophic) and for death benefits, and $533 for temporary partial disability. State Board of Workers' Compensation, Summary of Workers' Compensation Provisions (rev. 07/01/25); Workers' Compensation Law FAQs
Last verified: 2026-10-27
Coverage and deadlines
| Which employers must carry it | Any business with three or more workers, including regular part-time workers, must carry workers' compensation insurance. Coverage begins on the first day of employment. |
|---|---|
| Deadline to report the injury | Report any accident immediately, and no later than 30 days after the accident, to your employer, the employer's representative, your foreman or immediate supervisor. Failing to do so may result in loss of benefits. |
| Deadline to file a claim | File a claim (Form WC-14) with the State Board within one year from the date of the accident. If the employer paid for authorized medical treatment, the claim may be filed within one year after the last authorized medical treatment; if weekly income benefits were paid, within two years after the last weekly payment. Dependents of a worker who died must file within one year after the death. |
| Waiting period | Weekly income benefits are paid if you have more than seven days of lost time. The first check should be mailed within 21 days after the first day of missed work. If you are out more than 21 consecutive days because of the injury, you are also paid for the first week. |
Benefits
| Weekly benefit rate | Temporary total disability pays two-thirds of the worker's average weekly wage (based on the 13 weeks before the accident), up to the state maximum. For non-catastrophic injuries, benefits last as long as the worker is totally disabled but no longer than 400 weeks from the date of injury; catastrophic injuries have no week limit. If a worker who is not working has been able to do restricted work for 52 consecutive or 78 total weeks, benefits drop to the temporary partial disability rate. |
|---|---|
| Maximum weekly benefit | For accidents on or after July 1, 2023, the maximum weekly benefit is $800 for total disability (catastrophic and non-catastrophic) and for death benefits, and $533 for temporary partial disability. The minimum total disability benefit is $50 per week. The Board's provisions summary (revised July 1, 2025) states there were no benefit rate changes in 2024 or 2025. |
| How long benefits last | Temporary total disability benefits are paid as long as the worker is totally disabled, but no longer than 400 weeks (for accidents on or after July 1, 1992). If the worker is not working and has been able to work with restrictions for 52 consecutive weeks or 78 total weeks, benefits are reduced to the temporary partial rate for up to 350 weeks. Temporary partial disability benefits for a worker who returns to a lower-paying job last no longer than 350 weeks from the date of injury. A worker with a catastrophic injury may be entitled to lifetime benefits. |
| Permanent disability | Permanent partial disability is based on an impairment rating given by the authorized treating physician under the AMA Guides. The payment equals the number of weeks the statute assigns to the body part (for example, 225 weeks for an arm or leg, 160 for a hand, 150 for an eye, 300 for the body as a whole) multiplied by the rating percentage and by the worker's temporary total disability rate. When the worker returns to a lower-paying job, temporary partial disability pays two-thirds of the wage difference, up to $533 per week, for no more than 350 weeks. |
| Death benefits | If a worker dies from an on-the-job accident, dependents receive burial expenses up to $7,500 and two-thirds of the worker's average weekly wage, up to $800 per week. A widowed spouse with no children may receive up to $320,000 in total, and benefits continue until the spouse remarries or openly cohabits. |
Doctors, filing, settlements and appeals
| Choosing a doctor | The employer must post a list (panel) of at least six doctors, or the name of a certified workers' compensation managed care organization, unless the Board has granted an exception. You may choose a doctor from the posted list and make one change to another doctor on the list without your employer's permission. In an emergency, you may get temporary care from any doctor, then must continue with a doctor on the posted list. |
|---|---|
| How to file | Report the injury to your employer within 30 days. If your benefits are denied or not paid, file Form WC-14 with the State Board of Workers' Compensation to request a hearing. The Board can provide the form, which is also available on its website. A lawyer is not required to file a claim. |
| Settlements | Yes. The parties can resolve a claim through a stipulated settlement agreement, but it must be approved by the State Board of Workers' Compensation (its Settlement Division assists the Board in reviewing and approving settlements and lump-sum advances). Settlements may be made with the employer or insurer accepting liability or on a no-liability basis. A settlement accepting liability must state the issues the parties disagree about and that reasonable and necessary medical bills have been or will be paid. The Board will not approve a stipulation that releases claims outside its jurisdiction, and it may hear evidence or make confidential inquiries about any settlement. Attorney fees in a settlement must also be approved by the Board and generally cannot exceed 25%. |
| Appealing a denial | After a WC-14 hearing request, an Administrative Law Judge decides the claim, usually at a hearing held within 60 days, in or near the county where the injury happened. The ALJ's award can be appealed to the Board's Appellate Division (three-member board) within 20 days; the next step is Superior Court (within 20 days), and then a discretionary appeal to the Court of Appeals (within 30 days). |
| Deadline to challenge a denial | A party unhappy with an administrative law judge's award may appeal to the appellate division of the State Board of Workers' Compensation within 20 days of the notice of the award (a cross appeal may be filed within 30 days). A final award of the Board may then be appealed to the superior court of the county where the injury occurred within 20 days from the date of the award, and the superior court's judgment may be taken to the Court of Appeals as provided by law. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. The deadline to request the initial hearing after a denial was not separately verified (see workcomp/claim_deadline). |
| Filing or checking a claim online | In Georgia, report any on-the-job accident to your employer right away (waiting longer than 30 days may cost you benefits). To protect your rights you must file a claim within one year from the date of the accident by completing Form WC-14 and filing it with the State Board of Workers' Compensation, and send a copy to your employer and its workers' comp insurance carrier. Mail: State Board of Workers' Compensation, 270 Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303-1299. Claims assistance: (404) 656-3818 (metro Atlanta) or (800) 533-0682, Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; insurer coverage desk 404-463-6794. |
| Lawyer fees in comp cases | In Georgia, a workers' comp attorney's fee is based on your agreement with the lawyer and must be approved by the State Board of Workers' Compensation if it is more than $100; no fee greater than 25% of the employee's award of weekly benefits or settlement will be approved. For general questions, the Board can be reached at (404) 656-3818 or 1-800-533-0682. |
Lawsuits and uninsured employers
| Suing your employer | Generally no: Georgia's workers' comp rights and remedies exclude and replace all other rights and remedies against the employer for the injury or death, including common-law liability. The statute's stated exception is when the employer has expressly agreed in writing to specific additional rights and remedies; general contract terms about safety, legal compliance or liability insurance do not count. The immunity also covers co-employees and extends to businesses using temporary help or employee leasing companies when the required benefits are provided. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. The copy read did not show an intentional-tort exception in the statute text. Source: O.C.G.A. § 34-9-11(a), (c) |
|---|---|
| Suing someone other than your employer | Yes. A worker may sue a third party whose negligence caused the injury (except those protected by § 34-9-11) within the normal statute of limitations. The employer or insurer that paid benefits has a lien on the recovery, limited to the comp actually paid (disability, death and medical benefits), and it can collect only if the worker has been fully and completely compensated for all economic and noneconomic losses; the employer or insurer may intervene. If the worker has not sued within one year of the injury, the employer or insurer may bring the claim and must immediately notify the worker; a worker who sues after one year must immediately notify the employer or insurer. The worker's attorney is entitled to a reasonable fee from the recovery. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. Source: O.C.G.A. § 34-9-11.1(a)-(d) |
| If your employer has no workers' comp | Employers covered by the law must carry workers' comp insurance or be approved by the State Board of Workers' Compensation to self-insure, and must file proof of compliance with the Board. An employer that refuses or willfully neglects to file that proof commits a misdemeanor, and when the Board hears an injured worker's claim against such an employer it may increase the compensation by 10 percent and must set a reasonable attorney fee payable by the employer. On a job with subcontractors, a principal or intermediate contractor can be liable for comp to an injured subcontractor employee, with the right to recover from the employer that should have paid. Read on codes.findlaw.com (a public copy of the official code); check against the official code. |
Where to get help in Georgia
Workers' Compensation FAQ
Which employers must have workers' comp in Georgia?
Any business with three or more workers, including regular part-time workers, must carry workers' compensation insurance. Coverage begins on the first day of employment.
How long do you have to report a work injury in Georgia?
Report any accident immediately, and no later than 30 days after the accident, to your employer, the employer's representative, your foreman or immediate supervisor. Failing to do so may result in loss of benefits.
What is the deadline to file a workers' comp claim in Georgia?
File a claim (Form WC-14) with the State Board within one year from the date of the accident. If the employer paid for authorized medical treatment, the claim may be filed within one year after the last authorized medical treatment; if weekly income benefits were paid, within two years after the last weekly payment. Dependents of a worker who died must file within one year after the death.
Is there a waiting period for workers' comp in Georgia?
Weekly income benefits are paid if you have more than seven days of lost time. The first check should be mailed within 21 days after the first day of missed work. If you are out more than 21 consecutive days because of the injury, you are also paid for the first week.
How much does workers' comp pay in Georgia?
Temporary total disability pays two-thirds of the worker's average weekly wage (based on the 13 weeks before the accident), up to the state maximum. For non-catastrophic injuries, benefits last as long as the worker is totally disabled but no longer than 400 weeks from the date of injury; catastrophic injuries have no week limit. If a worker who is not working has been able to do restricted work for 52 consecutive or 78 total weeks, benefits drop to the temporary partial disability rate.
What is the maximum workers' comp benefit in Georgia?
For accidents on or after July 1, 2023, the maximum weekly benefit is $800 for total disability (catastrophic and non-catastrophic) and for death benefits, and $533 for temporary partial disability. The minimum total disability benefit is $50 per week. The Board's provisions summary (revised July 1, 2025) states there were no benefit rate changes in 2024 or 2025.
Can you choose your own doctor for workers' comp in Georgia?
The employer must post a list (panel) of at least six doctors, or the name of a certified workers' compensation managed care organization, unless the Board has granted an exception. You may choose a doctor from the posted list and make one change to another doctor on the list without your employer's permission. In an emergency, you may get temporary care from any doctor, then must continue with a doctor on the posted list.
How does permanent disability work under workers' comp in Georgia?
Permanent partial disability is based on an impairment rating given by the authorized treating physician under the AMA Guides. The payment equals the number of weeks the statute assigns to the body part (for example, 225 weeks for an arm or leg, 160 for a hand, 150 for an eye, 300 for the body as a whole) multiplied by the rating percentage and by the worker's temporary total disability rate. When the worker returns to a lower-paying job, temporary partial disability pays two-thirds of the wage difference, up to $533 per week, for no more than 350 weeks.
What workers' comp death benefits are available in Georgia?
If a worker dies from an on-the-job accident, dependents receive burial expenses up to $7,500 and two-thirds of the worker's average weekly wage, up to $800 per week. A widowed spouse with no children may receive up to $320,000 in total, and benefits continue until the spouse remarries or openly cohabits.
How do you file a workers' comp claim in Georgia?
Report the injury to your employer within 30 days. If your benefits are denied or not paid, file Form WC-14 with the State Board of Workers' Compensation to request a hearing. The Board can provide the form, which is also available on its website. A lawyer is not required to file a claim.
How do you appeal a denied workers' comp claim in Georgia?
After a WC-14 hearing request, an Administrative Law Judge decides the claim, usually at a hearing held within 60 days, in or near the county where the injury happened. The ALJ's award can be appealed to the Board's Appellate Division (three-member board) within 20 days; the next step is Superior Court (within 20 days), and then a discretionary appeal to the Court of Appeals (within 30 days).
How long can you receive workers' comp in Georgia?
Temporary total disability benefits are paid as long as the worker is totally disabled, but no longer than 400 weeks (for accidents on or after July 1, 1992). If the worker is not working and has been able to work with restrictions for 52 consecutive weeks or 78 total weeks, benefits are reduced to the temporary partial rate for up to 350 weeks. Temporary partial disability benefits for a worker who returns to a lower-paying job last no longer than 350 weeks from the date of injury. A worker with a catastrophic injury may be entitled to lifetime benefits.
How do workers' comp settlements work in Georgia?
Yes. The parties can resolve a claim through a stipulated settlement agreement, but it must be approved by the State Board of Workers' Compensation (its Settlement Division assists the Board in reviewing and approving settlements and lump-sum advances). Settlements may be made with the employer or insurer accepting liability or on a no-liability basis. A settlement accepting liability must state the issues the parties disagree about and that reasonable and necessary medical bills have been or will be paid. The Board will not approve a stipulation that releases claims outside its jurisdiction, and it may hear evidence or make confidential inquiries about any settlement. Attorney fees in a settlement must also be approved by the Board and generally cannot exceed 25%.
How do I file or check a workers' comp claim online in Georgia?
In Georgia, report any on-the-job accident to your employer right away (waiting longer than 30 days may cost you benefits). To protect your rights you must file a claim within one year from the date of the accident by completing Form WC-14 and filing it with the State Board of Workers' Compensation, and send a copy to your employer and its workers' comp insurance carrier. Mail: State Board of Workers' Compensation, 270 Peachtree St. NW, Atlanta, GA 30303-1299. Claims assistance: (404) 656-3818 (metro Atlanta) or (800) 533-0682, Mon-Fri 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; insurer coverage desk 404-463-6794.
How much can a workers' comp lawyer charge in Georgia?
In Georgia, a workers' comp attorney's fee is based on your agreement with the lawyer and must be approved by the State Board of Workers' Compensation if it is more than $100; no fee greater than 25% of the employee's award of weekly benefits or settlement will be approved. For general questions, the Board can be reached at (404) 656-3818 or 1-800-533-0682.
Can you sue your employer for a work injury in Georgia?
Generally no: Georgia's workers' comp rights and remedies exclude and replace all other rights and remedies against the employer for the injury or death, including common-law liability. The statute's stated exception is when the employer has expressly agreed in writing to specific additional rights and remedies; general contract terms about safety, legal compliance or liability insurance do not count. The immunity also covers co-employees and extends to businesses using temporary help or employee leasing companies when the required benefits are provided.
Can you sue a third party for a work injury in Georgia?
Yes. A worker may sue a third party whose negligence caused the injury (except those protected by § 34-9-11) within the normal statute of limitations. The employer or insurer that paid benefits has a lien on the recovery, limited to the comp actually paid (disability, death and medical benefits), and it can collect only if the worker has been fully and completely compensated for all economic and noneconomic losses; the employer or insurer may intervene. If the worker has not sued within one year of the injury, the employer or insurer may bring the claim and must immediately notify the worker; a worker who sues after one year must immediately notify the employer or insurer. The worker's attorney is entitled to a reasonable fee from the recovery.
What if my employer doesn't have workers' comp insurance in Georgia?
Employers covered by the law must carry workers' comp insurance or be approved by the State Board of Workers' Compensation to self-insure, and must file proof of compliance with the Board. An employer that refuses or willfully neglects to file that proof commits a misdemeanor, and when the Board hears an injured worker's claim against such an employer it may increase the compensation by 10 percent and must set a reasonable attorney fee payable by the employer. On a job with subcontractors, a principal or intermediate contractor can be liable for comp to an injured subcontractor employee, with the right to recover from the employer that should have paid.
How long do you have to appeal a denied workers' comp claim in Georgia?
A party unhappy with an administrative law judge's award may appeal to the appellate division of the State Board of Workers' Compensation within 20 days of the notice of the award (a cross appeal may be filed within 30 days). A final award of the Board may then be appealed to the superior court of the county where the injury occurred within 20 days from the date of the award, and the superior court's judgment may be taken to the Court of Appeals as provided by law.
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