View source for How to Read Your Workers' Comp Check and Benefit Statement

<html><p> The first time a Workers’ Comp check lands in your mailbox, it can feel like stepping into a new landscape without a trail map. You’ve got numbers, abbreviations, taxes that sometimes appear and sometimes don’t, and a benefit statement that looks like a medical bill’s more secretive cousin. I’ve walked a lot of injured workers through that terrain. Georgia’s Workers’ Compensation system has rules that are more predictable than they look, but the paperwork rarely explains those rules in plain language. Let’s fix that.</p> <p> This guide is built around the way a claim actually unfolds: <a href="https://mighty-wiki.win/index.php/Can_You_Collect_Social_Security_While_Receiving_Workers_Comp_Benefits%3F_79890">experienced workers compensation lawyer</a> the injury, the wage calculation, the medical payments, the mileage, the checks, the offsets, and the curveballs. I’ll point out the markers that matter, share a few stories of the potholes to avoid, and give you a simple way to reconcile your benefits so you don’t fall behind on bills based on a misunderstanding. The tone is adventurous for a reason, because understanding your Workers’ Comp benefits in Georgia is a bit of a trek. With the right compass, it’s manageable.</p><p> <iframe  src="https://www.google.com/maps/embed?pb=!1m18!1m12!1m3!1d5809.759200531237!2d-84.1349659!3d34.1918998!2m3!1f0!2f0!3f0!3m2!1i1024!2i768!4f13.1!3m3!1m2!1s0x88f5852d2507583b%3A0xed113970f4882f7f!2sLaw%20Offices%20of%20Humberto%20Izquierdo%2C%20Jr.%2C%20PC!5e1!3m2!1sen!2sus!4v1767382964055!5m2!1sen!2sus" width="560" height="315" style="border: none;" allowfullscreen="" ></iframe></p> <h2> The first clue: what kind of check is it?</h2> <p> A Workers’ Comp check is not just a “check.” It signals what benefit the insurer is paying. In Georgia, you will usually see one of three categories:</p> <p> Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. This is the weekly check you receive when a doctor says you cannot work at all because of the work injury. It should begin after the statutory waiting period if your disability lasts longer than seven days.</p> <p> Temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits. This is the wage differential check when you can work, but only in a reduced capacity, or with fewer hours, so you earn less than before the injury.</p> <p> Permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits. This pays for permanent impairment once a treating physician assigns an impairment rating. It is not about whether you can work at that moment, it is about a permanent loss of function to a body part.</p> <p> Your benefit statement might label these as TTD, TPD, or PPD. If it does not, look for clues: a weekly flat amount with no mention of wages likely means TTD; a fluctuating amount tied to what you earned in a given week points toward TPD; a scheduled number of weeks times a set rate suggests PPD. If you still cannot decode it, call the adjuster and ask which benefit is being paid. Keep a notebook and write down names, dates, and what they say. It matters.</p> <h2> Understanding the 2/3 rule, the cap, and what “AWW” means</h2> <p> Most confusion begins with the Average Weekly Wage, or AWW. Your weekly Workers’ Comp rate for TTD and TPD in Georgia is based on your AWW, then reduced to two thirds of that number, up to a statutory maximum. There is no income tax taken out of TTD or TPD checks.</p> <p> How is AWW calculated? The standard method averages your gross earnings over the 13 weeks prior to the injury. If you worked fewer than 13 weeks, Georgia law allows use of a similarly situated employee’s wages, or a fair approximation of what you would have earned. Overtime counts. So do bonuses, if they were part of your regular earnings in that window.</p> <p> Here is the rhythm: Your weekly benefit rate is two thirds of your AWW, subject to a cap. For injuries in recent years, the cap in Georgia has been $800 per week for TTD, with lower caps in earlier injury years. The cap that applies is the one in effect on the date of injury. If your AWW is high enough that two thirds of it would exceed the cap, you still only receive the capped amount. If your AWW is low, two thirds is what you get, even if that number seems small.</p> <p> A quick example. Let’s say your AWW is $900. Two thirds of that is $600. Your TTD rate should be $600 per week. No state or federal income tax should be withheld. If you see $540 on a check when you expected $600, do not assume taxes. Look for an offset or overpayment recoupment noted on the statement. If there is no explanation, ask, because the insurer must pay the proper statutory rate once AWW is set.</p> <p> I once represented a warehouse worker in Atlanta who was underpaid for months because the employer’s payroll clerk forgot to include consistent Saturday overtime in the 13-week calculation. We fought to correct the AWW, and the carrier had to pay back benefits for the underpayment. The paperwork listed the incorrect rate the entire time. Her instinct that the number “felt off” saved her thousands.</p> <h2> The waiting period and the three-week catch-up</h2> <p> TTD benefits do not start on day one. Georgia law imposes a seven-day waiting period. If your disability lasts longer than 21 consecutive days, the insurer must pay you for the first seven days retroactively. On a statement, that often appears as a one-time catch-up line. If you see your first check cover only days eight through fourteen, that is normal. If you miss more than three weeks and never see the retroactive week, ask for it in writing.</p> <h2> How TPD really works on the statement</h2> <p> TPD trips people up, because the amount bounces. The formula is two thirds of the difference between your pre-injury AWW and what you earn now, up to a cap. For example, if your pre-injury AWW was $900, and while on light duty you earn $600 in a particular week, the difference is $300. Two thirds of that is $200. TPD for that week should be $200. If the next week you only earned $450, the difference is $450, and two thirds is $300. Your check should adjust accordingly, subject to the statutory TPD cap.</p> <p> If your benefit statement shows TPD but does not detail your post-injury earnings used for each week’s calculation, ask for the worksheet. You have the right to documentation that explains how the number was derived. Keep your pay stubs, because you may need to reconcile what the insurer used versus what you actually earned.</p> <h2> PPD checks: what the impairment rating means in money</h2> <p> Permanent partial disability benefits are often the least intuitive. A PPD rating is a percentage loss of use assigned by a physician using the American Medical Association Guides, as adopted in Georgia. The percentage applies to a statutory schedule of weeks for each body part. For example, the arm has a certain number of weeks, the leg another, the back is treated as “body as a whole” with a separate schedule. Multiply the scheduled weeks by the percentage, then multiply that figure by your weekly compensation rate. That total is your PPD entitlement, paid either weekly or, sometimes, in a lump sum.</p> <p> Two key details regularly surprise people. First, you do not get PPD while TTD or TPD is being paid. PPD typically begins after you reach maximum medical improvement and are no longer receiving weekly disability checks for lost wages. Second, a PPD rating does not measure pain, hardship, or job loss. It measures medical impairment. A 10 percent rating to the shoulder can feel small to someone who can no longer do their trade, but it may be accurate under the Guides, which are focused on function.</p> <p> If you receive a PPD check without any copy of the rating report and the calculations, ask for them. A Workers’ Comp Lawyer in Georgia will often obtain a second opinion on the rating if it seems too low, because small percentage differences add up over weeks.</p> <h2> Reading the benefit statement: line by line</h2> <p> Benefit statements in Georgia vary by insurer, but a few universal markers show up:</p> <p> The weekly compensation rate. This is the core number for TTD and PPD. It should match two thirds of your AWW, capped as required. If it does not, confirm how AWW was calculated.</p> <p> Benefit type. Look for TTD, TPD, PPD, or medical mileage. If it simply says “indemnity,” ask for clarification. “Indemnity” refers to wage loss benefits, but does not specify which one.</p> <p> Date range. Benefit statements often list the period the payment covers. Weekly checks should reflect a seven-day window. If the range skips weeks you did not work, find out why. Holidays do not pause Workers’ Comp.</p> <p> Offsets and credits. The carrier may apply credits for previous overpayments, or for wages earned if they paid TTD when you were actually working light duty. Any offset should be noted. If the statement reflects an offset without explanation, request an accounting.</p> <p> Tax withholding. Workers’ Comp wage loss benefits are not taxable. If you see any withholding for taxes, that is a red flag. Sometimes statements include a field that would normally show taxes on a paycheck, but the amounts should be zero.</p> <p> Medical payments. The insurer may issue separate checks to providers, and those appear in a different section, or on a different statement entirely. You generally will not be receiving those checks yourself. If you receive a medical reimbursement check, it is likely for mileage or for approved out-of-pocket expenses.</p> <p> The best habit is to keep a simple ledger. On one side, list check dates, amount, and what period they cover. On the other, list your AWW, your weekly benefit rate, and any changes in work status. Over time, errors reveal themselves. If the pattern breaks without explanation, raise your hand.</p> <h2> Mileage and medical reimbursements: small numbers that matter</h2> <p> It is easy to ignore the little checks. Do not. Georgia Workers’ Compensation reimburses mileage to and from authorized medical appointments at a per-mile rate set by law. The rate changes occasionally, often tracking government mileage rates. You should also be reimbursed for prescribed items that you are authorized to purchase, like braces or over-the-counter medications recommended by your treating physician if preapproved. To get paid, you need to submit a mileage log with dates, locations, roundtrip miles, and the name of the provider. Most insurers have a form. Turn it in monthly. The carrier pays within 15 or 30 days depending on the item, and delays are actionable.</p> <p> A client of mine kept forgetting to submit mileage for a long commute to a specialist in Macon. Over a year, it added up to several hundred dollars, not life changing, but enough to cover groceries during TTD. Once he began submitting on the first of every month, the reimbursements smoothed out his budget.</p> <h2> Intermittent benefits, gaps, and the penalty rules</h2> <p> Benefit interruptions happen for a handful of reasons. Sometimes they are legitimate: the insurer has not received a new work status from your doctor, or you missed a panel appointment, or a return-to-work offer is pending. Sometimes they are not legitimate: an adjuster misread a note, a check was mailed late, or the insurer is slow-walking payment after you were taken back out of work. Georgia law provides penalties for late payment of income benefits. If a weekly check is not paid when due, a percentage penalty can be added automatically. If a check is consistently late, you can file a hearing request or a penalty claim.</p> <p> Here is how to handle a gap. First, verify your medical status. If your doctor wrote you out of work, get a copy of the note. If the doctor restricted you, make sure you gave the employer the restrictions and ask about available work. Second, contact the adjuster, in writing, to ask why the check has not arrived and to request penalties if appropriate. Third, document the mail date on the envelope when the check finally arrives. It helps to prove lateness.</p> <p> Some insurers move you to direct deposit or to a reloadable card. That can shave a couple of days off mail delays, but it does not change the due date. If the benefit statement shows a payment date that is on time but you did not receive funds until later, ask for the transmission confirmation for direct deposit or the issue date for the card reload. Paper trails focus minds.</p> <h2> The medical bill side: why EOBs are not bills to you</h2> <p> Your benefit statement may arrive alongside Explanation of Benefits documents showing what the insurer paid to hospitals and doctors. They are not bills to you. Georgia Workers’ Comp is responsible for authorized medical treatment related to the work injury. Providers must accept the fee schedule and the insurer’s payment if the treatment is authorized. You should not be balance billed. If you receive a bill, call the provider and give them the claim number and adjuster’s contact info. If they keep billing you, put it in writing and advise the insurer. A Georgia Workers’ Comp Lawyer sees this problem every month. It is usually a clerical error, not a scheme, but it can escalate if ignored.</p> <h2> Offsets, disability benefits, and the SSDI question</h2> <p> Your benefit statement may show “offsets” in limited situations. Common ones:</p> <p> Short-term disability or salary continuation. If your employer paid wages or disability benefits while you were out, the carrier may claim credit. Credits need a legal basis and proper calculation. Ask for the supporting math.</p> <p> Unemployment benefits. You generally cannot collect TTD and unemployment for the same period. If you did, the Workers’ Compensation insurer may seek a credit.</p> <p> Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI). Workers’ Comp can reduce your SSDI, not the other way around, in a process called Workers’ Compensation offset. If you are on SSDI, tell your Work Injury Lawyer so they can structure settlements to minimize the impact and obtain appropriate language for Social Security.</p> <p> Your benefit statement should be transparent about any offset. If it is not, push for an explanation in writing. Offsets are a common flashpoint in negotiations and hearings.</p> <h2> Return to work offers and the checks that stop</h2> <p> One of the most jarring moments in a Georgia Work Injury claim is the sudden stop in TTD checks after a return-to-work offer. Georgia law allows an employer to suspend TTD if they provide a suitable light-duty job that your authorized treating physician approves. Suitability is the keyword. The offer must be real, within your restrictions, and properly communicated.</p> <p> On paper, your benefit statement will show the TTD stopping as of a date. If you went to the job and the tasks exceeded your restrictions, or if the job disappeared when you arrived, or if the hours were a fraction of what was promised, document everything. In some cases, you can force reinstatement of TTD or transition to TPD if your earnings are reduced. Keep your own copy of the job offer, the restrictions, and your pay stubs. These disputes turn on details.</p> <h2> Settlements and the check that looks like the end</h2> <p> When you settle a Georgia Workers’ Comp claim, the settlement will be approved by the State Board of Workers’ Compensation before it is paid. After approval, the insurer typically has a set number of days to issue the check. Your benefit statement after settlement will look different, often a single lump-sum line with a deduction for attorney’s fees if you have counsel. Medical benefits usually close unless the settlement specifies otherwise. If you settle while still receiving PPD or TTD, the settlement replaces those future benefits, which means the weekly checks stop.</p> <p> Be cautious about settlement timing. If you are waiting on a PPD rating or a surgery recommendation, settling early can trade a known need for an unknown future. A Georgia Workers’ Compensation Lawyer will walk you through the trade-offs. I’ve settled cases where the timing made sense after maximum medical improvement, and I’ve rejected offers when we were one MRI away from clarity.</p> <h2> Documenting your claim like a pro</h2> <p> Even if you never hire a Georgia Workers’ Comp Lawyer, use the same habits we use in practice.</p> <ul>  <li> Keep a claims folder with sections for wage records, benefit statements, medical notes, mileage logs, and correspondence. Each check gets a copy of the stub with the envelope staple and mail date.</li> <li> Create a one-page summary: date of injury, AWW, weekly rate, benefit type, authorized doctor, adjuster name and contact, employer contact, current work status. Update it whenever something changes.</li> </ul> <p> Those two habits prevent about half the headaches I see. When you call the adjuster or the State Board, having the facts at your fingertips cuts weeks off a dispute.</p> <h2> Edge cases that confuse almost everyone</h2> <p> Seasonal workers. The 13-week AWW calculation can understate earnings if your season was short. Georgia allows alternative methods, including similarly situated workers. If your AWW feels artificially low because you had just started, speak up.</p><p> <iframe  src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/npem92i9_GA" width="560" height="315" style="border: none;" allowfullscreen="" ></iframe></p> <p> Second jobs. If you had concurrent employment, Georgia may include wages from both jobs if the employer knew about the second job at the time of injury. Your benefit statement will not volunteer this. You need to raise it and provide proof.</p> <p> Overtime patterns. Regular overtime should be included in AWW. Sporadic overtime usually is not. The line is fuzzy. Payroll records and schedules help.</p> <p> Bonuses and per diem. Performance bonuses within the 13 weeks can count. Pure expense reimbursements typically do not. Your benefit statement simply reflects the final AWW result. The debate happens before that.</p> <p> A layoff while on restrictions. If the employer lays you off for economic reasons while you are on light duty, you may shift from TPD back to TTD if your restrictions prevent your return to suitable work elsewhere. Your checks will show the category change. It is not automatic; you must ask and provide updated medical documentation.</p> <p> Change of physician. Moving to a new authorized doctor can reset the tempo of notes and work status, which affects checks. Build buffer time into your budget when you request a physician change.</p> <h2> When the math still doesn’t add up</h2> <p> If you have done the homework and the check remains wrong, you have a few levers:</p> <p> Informal resolution. Send a concise email to the adjuster with your AWW, the correct rate, the dates affected, and the difference. Attach supporting documents. Give a reasonable deadline.</p> <p> Request a conference. In Georgia, you can ask the Board for an informal conference to address payment issues quickly. It is not a full hearing, but it nudges action.</p> <p> File for a hearing. When the dispute is material and ongoing, a formal hearing request triggers a litigation track. At that point, many people hire a Workers’ Comp Lawyer. Fee structures in Georgia are contingency-based with a percentage cap approved by the Board, usually applied to settlement or disputed back benefits.</p> <p> Seek penalties and attorney’s fees. If the insurer unreasonably refuses to pay, the Board can award penalties and fees. Your benefit statement, with late dates and unexplained offsets, becomes evidence.</p> <p> A Work Injury Lawyer who practices daily in Georgia Workers’ Compensation knows which carriers respond to which lever. Not all fights need to be big ones. Some need a precisely worded letter with the right citations. Others need a hearing date to break the logjam.</p><p> <img  src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/p/AF1QipOHf-FNS891KZL2EtC1eougXvLarFbKdgqFl-lY=s680-w680-h510-rw" style="max-width:500px;height:auto;" ></img></p> <h2> A brief field guide to common abbreviations on statements</h2> <p> It helps to decode the shorthand you may see:</p> <p> AWW. Average Weekly Wage, the basis for your weekly rate.</p> <p> CR or Comp Rate. Your weekly benefit amount, usually two thirds of AWW up to the cap.</p> <p> TTD, TPD, PPD. Temporary Total, Temporary Partial, Permanent Partial Disability.</p> <p> MMI. Maximum Medical Improvement, the point when your condition is stable and unlikely to change substantially with additional treatment.</p> <p> AP or ATP. Authorized treating physician, the doctor whose orders control.</p> <p> WC-2, WC-3, WC-6. Standard Georgia forms used to start, suspend, or modify benefits. If your checks change, you should receive the corresponding Board form.</p> <p> Mileage Reimb. Payment for travel to authorized medical visits at the statutory rate.</p> <p> Offset or Credit. A reduction applied due to prior payments or concurrent benefits.</p> <h2> A note on taxes, child support, and garnishments</h2> <p> Workers’ Comp TTD, TPD, and <a href="https://wiki-fusion.win/index.php/How_to_Maximize_Your_Workers_Compensation_Settlement_33587">workers comp law experts</a> PPD are not subject to income tax under federal or Georgia law. The checks should not show withholding. That said, court-ordered child support can be garnished from Workers’ Comp benefits. If you see a deduction labeled with a court order reference, it may be child support. You can verify with your case number. Other typical garnishments, like creditor judgments, usually do not attach to Workers’ Comp benefits in Georgia, but always confirm the source of any deduction on your statement.</p> <h2> Georgia specifics worth remembering</h2> <p> Georgia sets strict deadlines that tie back to benefits. Report your injury promptly. The statute of limitations for filing claims and for change-in-condition benefits is unforgiving. Missing a panel specialist appointment can justify a suspension. On the flip side, if the insurer unreasonably denies medical care, you can get an expedited hearing.</p> <p> For wage benefits, the date of injury controls the caps. If your co-worker had a different cap two years earlier, that is why. For medical mileage, submit within a reasonable time. For vocational issues, Georgia does not require the insurer to retrain you, but failure to offer suitable work when available affects benefits. Georgia Workers’ Compensation is its own world. Understanding these state-specific rules helps you read your check with the right expectations.</p> <h2> When to bring in a Georgia Workers’ Comp Lawyer</h2> <p> You do not need a lawyer to cash a check. You may want one when the checks are wrong, late, or constantly changing, or when a surgery is on the table and the insurer is dragging its feet. A Georgia Workers’ Comp Lawyer can recalculate AWW, challenge an impairment rating, push medical approvals, and structure settlements to account for SSDI or Medicare interests. In my files, the biggest recoveries often start with small corrections: an overtime omission, a misapplied cap, a misread doctor’s note. Those corrections compound over months.</p> <p> If you feel outmatched by the forms and the jargon, you are in good company. The system was not designed to be easy. It was designed to be consistent. Once you learn to read what your Workers’ Comp check and benefit statement are saying, you stop guessing. You can plan, you can question errors without apology, and you can focus on healing.</p> <h2> A quick check before you put this to use</h2> <ul>  <li> Verify your AWW and weekly comp rate using your last 13 weeks of pre-injury pay, including regular overtime. Compare to your check.</li> <li> Match each check to a date range and benefit type. If a week is missing or the type shifted, find the form or note that triggered it.</li> </ul> <p> Those two steps catch most issues early. If you get stuck, ask for help. Georgia Workers’ Comp is a trail many have walked. The signs are there once you know how to look.</p></html>