After suffering an injury at work in Georgia, your authorized treating physician will monitor your condition. Before you are released to return to your full job duties, your doctor may allow you to go back to work with light-duty restrictions. An important step in the recovery process and getting back to normal after your occupational injury, being placed on light-duty status may significantly affect your benefits.
According to the Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation, upon your release by a physician to restricted work status, your employer may file a Form WC-104 to unilaterally modify your benefits. This action converts your compensation from temporary total disability to temporary partial disability, which may reduce the amount of benefits you receive each week. The modification takes effect after you have been on 78 aggregate weeks or 52 consecutive weeks of restricted duty status.
When filing a Form WC-104, your employer must include supporting medical documentation from your treating physician. The records submitted should support your doctor’s determination that you can perform certain modified work duties and may include, for example, office notes, lab reports, imaging scans and reports, and procedure details.
To be valid, the Form WC-104 must be filed within 60 days of the date you were placed on light duty. Further, all the documents contained in the filing must have your name, claim number, and date of injury, or it may be rejected by the board. Additionally, you and your attorney, if you have legal representation, must be served with a copy of the filing.
This post contains information that is meant only for general purposes and is in no way intended as legal advice.
