The General Assembly of Georgia made no legal changes to the employee allowance law in 2025. In effect from July 1, 2025, the Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation (SBWC) introduced several important updates of its rules. These changes include clarifications, organizational changes and content -related revisions that aim to improve the consistency and transparency in the employee equalization process.
Below you will find a brief overview of the most remarkable changes:
Legal fees for medical expenses (rules 15 (e) and 108 (b) (8))
According to the new rules, lawyers can apply for fees for medical expenses under limited circumstances, even if the income services are no longer paid. For this purpose, lawyers have to apply for a quantum -meruit fee that is based on a fee based on the value of the legal services provided. This applies in particular to cases in which problems with medical and not by the end of the income.
Compensation memorandum for settlements without maintenance (rule 15 (o))
The well -known “disposable blade”, which is used in the settlements without maintenance, was replaced by a more formal compensation memorandum.
This new document must:
- Enter specific information about the comparison (e.g. payment encryption, responsibility for doctor bills)
- Signed by all parties before submitting
This change promotes transparency and consistency in settlement documentation.
Consistent timeline for objections in rehabas (rules 61 (b) (54) and 200.1 (II) (h) (3))
Before that, there was confusion about how much time the parties had to submit objections in relation to rehabilitation services. The rules are now hosting both schedules:
- Objections to rehab supplier changes must be submitted within 20 days and not 15.
This change ensures consistency and gives the parties a clear and fair window to react.
E -mail delivery of awards and orders (rule 102 (7))
In order to modernize communication, the board of directors is now expressly enabled that awards and orders are sent by e -mail to parties and lawyers of records. If e -mails are not available, the standard continues to be US mail.
This update reflects the growing role of digital communication in legal processes.
Last thoughts
These changes in the rule 2025 are intended to optimize the procedures, clarify responsibilities and modernize communication. If you are involved in employees in Georgia – whether as a lawyer, claims or employers – it is important to understand how these revisions can affect your practice.
Michael Bagley and Benson Ward are partners in the Drewl & Farnham law firm in Atlanta. This blog post was originally on the company's website and in Mondaq. It is reprinted here with permission.
Topics
Employee compensation Georgia
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