American Mut

Liab. Ins. Co. v. Hicks, 159 Ga. App. 214, 283 S.E.2d 18 (1981); Travelers Ins. Co. v. Moxley, 160 Ga. App. 391, 287 S.E.2d 340 (1981). Workers’ compensation benefits. — Debtor’s workers’ compensation benefits did not constitute property of that debtors’ bankruptcy estate and were beyond the jurisdiction of the court pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 34-9-84. In re Harvey, 356 B.R. 557 (Bankr. S.D. Ga. 2006), aff ’d, 536 F.3d 1239 (11th Cir. 2008). Because the bankruptcy code allowed states to choose whether to use federal exemptions or state exemptions, because Georgia had opted out of the federal exemptions, because the State of Georgia had enacted a provision putting workers’ compensation claims beyond a creditors’ reach, and because this interpretation was consistent with the purpose of the statute and other states’ implementation of similar statutes, the court determined that debtor’s workers’ compensation claims were beyond the reach of creditors in bankruptcy. In re Fullwood, 446 B.R. 634 (Bankr. S.D. Ga. 2010). Cited in West v. Standard Accident Ins. Co., 176 Ga. 54, 166 S.E. 761 (1932); West v. Standard Accident Ins. Co., 176 Ga. 755, 168 S.E. 766 (1933).