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GA Comp Authority
Comprehensive Tools for Georgia Workers' Compensation Professionals
DECISION SEARCH

Begin with the facts, language, or citation you already have.

Search Georgia SBWC decisions and appellate opinions using keywords, phrases, case details, judges, citations, courts, dates, and other available decision information.

TWO RESEARCH LIBRARIES

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Administrative and appellate materials remain separately searchable so each library can offer filters tailored to its own records.

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SBWC Decisions
Search Georgia State Board of Workers’ Compensation trial and Appellate Division decisions by keywords, ALJ, order date, injury or body part, or SBWC case number.
Georgia Appellate Opinions
Search Georgia Court of Appeals and Supreme Court workers’ compensation opinions by keywords, case name, official citation, docket number, court, or decision date.
A PRACTICAL RESEARCH QUESTION

Move from a legal question to a focused result set.

RESEARCH QUESTION
When may an employee obtain medical treatment outside the employer’s posted panel because of employer noncompliance?
SBWC Decisions
Keywords
posted panel noncompliance
ALJ
Any ALJ
ALJ Order Date Range
From: mm/dd/yyyy To: mm/dd/yyyy
Injury / Body Part
Any Injury / Body Part
Case Number
10 digits; spaces/dashes allowed
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RESULT REFINEMENT

See why a decision matched before opening the underlying order.

Search results do more than identify matching decisions. Each result shows a comparative text-match score, reports the number of occurrences of every supplied keyword, and permits the researcher to review each term highlighted in the underlying order.

RELATIVE TEXT-MATCH SCORE

Compare matching frequency

The relevance percentage compares the frequency of the supplied terms with the highest-scoring decision on the current results page.

Ordinary word: 1 point per occurrence
Quoted phrase: 5 points per occurrence
INDIVIDUAL TERM COUNTS

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Every supplied keyword is reported separately with the number of occurrences found in the decision.

posted 7 panel 50 noncompliance 1
HIGHLIGHTED ORDER REVIEW

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Select any reported keyword to open the underlying order with that term highlighted throughout the document.

The employer failed to maintain a properly posted panel of physicians, permitting the employee to obtain treatment outside the panel.
Search Results (12) New Search
Keywords: posted panel noncompliance
Relevance: 100%
DECISION DOSSIER
VIEW HITS: posted 7 panel 50 noncompliance 1 Select a term to review its highlighted occurrences in the order.
Primary Issues: Temporary Total Disability; Temporary Partial Disability; Medical Treatment / Authorization; Assessed Attorney Fees
Summary: The ALJ awarded the Employee TPD benefits from December 28, 2022, through February 26, 2023, and ongoing TTD benefits starting February 27, 2023, following a motor vehicle accident on December 27, 2022, which aggravated pre-existing conditions in the lower back, neck, and right shoulder. The Employee’s request for Dr. Daftari as ATP and reimbursement for out-of-pocket medical expenses was granted, while the request for assessed attorney’s fees was denied. The Employer/Insurer appealed the decision, leading to a review by the Appellate Division, which affirmed the ALJ’s findings regarding the compensable aggravation injury but reversed the reimbursement for chiropractic expenses due to inconsistencies in the medical records. The Employee’s cross-appeal for attorney’s fees was also denied.
Case No. 2023-006649 | ALJ: Meg Hartin (Atlanta): 2024-02-23 | Appeal: Frank R. McKay; Concurring: Benjamin J. Vinson, Neera Bahl: 2024-07-30
Relevance: 86%
DECISION DOSSIER
VIEW HITS: posted 3 panel 46 noncompliance 1
Primary Issues: Change in Condition; Authorized Treating Physician; Surgery / Invasive Treatment
Summary: The ALJ denied the Employer/Insurer’s request to suspend the Employee’s benefits based on a claimed change in condition for the better, affirming that the Employee’s compensable injuries had not resolved and that he could not return to work without restrictions. The ALJ also ruled that Dr. Shevin Pollydore remained the authorized treating physician despite the Employer/Insurer’s contention that he lost this status upon leaving Peachtree Orthopedic Clinic. The Employer/Insurer’s appeal to the Appellate Division resulted in a partial reversal, where the Appellate Division appointed Dr. Douglas Pahl as the new authorized treating physician, citing concerns over the proximity of Dr. Pollydore’s practice to the Employee’s residence and the need for further evaluation and treatment. The Appellate Division denied the request for assessed attorney’s fees, finding the Employer/Insurer’s defense was not unreasonable given the conflicting medical evidence.
Case No. 2017-030484 | ALJ: Johnny Mason (Atlanta): 2023-04-10 | Appeal: Neera Bahl; Concurring: Benjamin J. Vinson, Frank R. McKay: 2023-10-17
FROM RESULT TO SOURCE

Select a keyword and review every occurrence in the original order.

Each keyword-count control opens the source decision with the selected term highlighted. Previous Hit and Next Hit controls allow the researcher to move through the matching language without manually scanning the entire document.

Highlighted Term: panel
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🔍 1 of 17 Actual Size
2023006649TrialAppeal
STATE BOARD SEAL
STATE BOARD OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION
270 Peachtree Street, NW
Atlanta, GA 30303

A hearing was held on January 12, 2024, to determine the Employee’s entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits. The Employee contends that he suffered an on-the-job injury to his lower back, neck and right shoulder while working for the Employer.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

The Employee seeks an award of temporary partial disability benefits and temporary total disability benefits. He also requested penalties for the alleged late payment of benefits.

The Employee contends that there was no explanation of the panel and no valid posted panel of physicians, which the Employer/Insurer disputes. He asks for the designation of an authorized treating physician and payment of previously incurred medical expenses.

There is also a request for an award of assessed attorney’s fees and expenses.

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2. VIEW HITS

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3. REVIEW

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4. VERIFY

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