Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
Harriss and Hartman Law Firm, P.C., helps injured workers across Southeast Tennessee recover the medical care and wage benefits they deserve. When you are hurt on the job, insurance companies often delay or deny claims. Our attorneys fight back so you can focus on healing.
Attorney Doug Cox brings more than three decades of experience handling workers’ compensation, personal injury, and related claims for clients in Tennessee and Georgia. He knows Tennessee workers’ compensation law inside and out and stands up to insurance carriers on behalf of injured employees.
Attorney Doug Cox
Doug Cox is a seasoned attorney with over 30 years of legal experience serving clients across Tennessee and Georgia. He earned his J.D. from the University of Tennessee College of Law in 1987 and his undergraduate degree from East Tennessee State University.
After practicing personal injury law in Chattanooga and co-founding his own firm focused on workers’ compensation, social security disability, and personal injury, Doug joined Harriss and Hartman in 2025. He is admitted in Tennessee and Georgia state courts, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee, the Middle District of Georgia, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit.
Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Who Understand The Process
When dealing with work-related injuries, we understand your concerns. Injuries at the workplace result in medical expenses, pain and suffering, wage loss, and an uncertain future.
Tennessee workers’ compensation laws are designed to provide prompt medical treatment and partial wage replacement when you are hurt on the job—without the need to prove fault. Unfortunately, the process is not always simple. Insurers frequently contest claims, forcing injured workers to fight for benefits they have earned.
We are here to assist you. Our attorneys know the tactics insurance companies use and how to build strong medical documentation that supports your claim. We guide you through every step so you can focus on recovery.
Who Is Eligible For Workers’ Compensation Benefits In Tennessee?
Most employees injured at work in Tennessee are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits regardless of fault, provided the injury arose primarily out of and in the course and scope of employment. Coverage generally applies when the employer has five or more employees (or one or more in construction and certain other industries).
Eligibility may apply to the following:
- Employees injured during regular job duties
- Those hurt in workplace accidents involving equipment failure or unsafe conditions
- Individuals suffering from repetitive stress injuries or occupational illnesses
- Employees injured while traveling for work-related purposes
- Workers harmed due to third-party negligence while on the job
If you are unsure whether your situation qualifies, a knowledgeable attorney can help clarify your rights under Tennessee law.
What Benefits Can You Receive In A Tennessee Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Through a Tennessee workers’ compensation claim, you may be entitled to several types of benefits that support your recovery and financial stability after a work injury.
Common benefits include:
- Medical treatment coverage: Reasonable and necessary medical care related to your workplace injury, including doctor visits, surgeries, physical therapy, and prescriptions.
- Temporary total disability (TTD) benefits: Approximately two-thirds of your average weekly wage (subject to state maximums) when you are completely unable to work while recovering.
- Temporary partial disability (TPD) benefits: Available if you can return to work in a limited capacity but earn less than before the injury.
- Permanent partial or permanent total disability benefits: Compensation based on permanent impairment ratings when your injury causes lasting limitations.
- Death and survivor benefits: Provided to eligible dependents if an employee dies due to a workplace accident or occupational disease.
An experienced attorney can help ensure you receive the full range of benefits available under Tennessee law.
Important Tennessee Deadlines
- Notify your employer of the injury as soon as possible (generally within 15 days).
- File a claim or petition for benefit determination within one year of the injury (or within one year of the last voluntary payment of benefits).
- Missing these deadlines can permanently bar your right to benefits.
Contact us promptly so we can protect your claim.
What Are Common Reasons For Workers’ Compensation Claim Denials?
A workers’ compensation claim can be denied for various reasons, even when the injury seems straightforward. Knowing what may lead to denial can help you avoid pitfalls and strengthen your case.
Denials often occur due to:
- Missed deadlines for reporting the work injury
- Lack of medical evidence linking the injury to the job
- Disputes over whether the injury arose primarily out of employment
- Preexisting conditions being blamed for the injury
- Failure to follow prescribed medical treatment or attend authorized appointments
If your claim was denied, you still have options. Our attorneys can help you appeal the decision and fight for the workers’ compensation benefits you need.
How Attorney Doug Cox And Our Firm Help Injured Tennessee Workers
- Guide you through the Tennessee workers’ compensation process from start to finish
- Help you obtain authorized medical treatment and appropriate physician panels
- Gather medical records and evidence needed to support your claim
- Challenge claim denials and unfair settlements
- Represent you at mediations, hearings, and appeals before the Tennessee Court of Workers’ Compensation Claims