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Certainly, living off of 2/3 your pre-injury wage can be difficult, especially if you used to make more than $750/week and are stuck at the maximum workers’ compensation rate in Georgia of $500/week. There are a couple of options you can employ to try and get some assistance.
First, there are several companies that offer very high interest loans for you to borrow against your future permanent impairment rating, future settlement, or future verdict. I don’t recommend using this option unless you are about to lose your home or have other dire financial needs that must be addressed quickly, despite the fact that you will likely owe close to twice the amount you borrow after interest and fees are added to the total.
The better option is to file a WC-25 and request a lump sum advance on your future permanent partial disability (PPD) rating. In order to use this option, you need to have been on temporary total disability (TTD) benefits for 26 weeks (6 months). Normally, the workers’ compensation insurance adjuster (or attorney) will agree to this if your request is reasonable when compared to your injury and likely PPD rating.
If they do not agree, you can file the form WC-25 with the State Board of Workers’ Compensation, wait 15 days for the other side’s objection, and then see if the Administrative Law Judge grants you an advance. Feel free to contact my Atlanta law office for questions on Atlanta workers’ compensation law related to lump sum advances.
