WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW.
Workplace injuries in Florida are common. In 2018, more than 55,000 Floridians claimed they were injured while working, according to the state’s Division of Workers’ Compensation. Fortunately, Florida law provides these workers access to medical care and continued wages while they recover from their injuries. It’s important that you understand Florida’s workers compensation laws so that you can take advantage when you need them and not be taken advantage of.
The process begins with your informing your employer of your injury. The sooner you do this the better. But in most circumstances, you must inform them within 30 days.
You should provide your employer as much detail as possible about your injury. This should include things such as how the injury happened and when, if anyone witnessed the injury and the nature and extent of the injuries. Once you inform your employer, Florida law mandates that your employer provide you a doctor or when necessary, send you to the emergency room.
It’s your employer’s responsibility to report the claim to their insurance company who will then contact you. They will interview you and they usually review your medical records to determine if your injury is related to something that occurred while working. They may even require you to meet with another doctor for a special evaluation.
If the insurance company denies your claim, don’t panic. The law provides you with the right to file a petition with the Department of Workers’ Compensation. If your claim is denied and you don’t already have an attorney, now would be a very good time to speak with an attorney that specializes in these type of cases. Like personal injury attorneys, lawyers that handle workers’ compensation matters are not paid directly by you so that no money will have to come directly out of your pocket to obtain representation.
Generally, there’s four different types of benefits that you can receive for workplace injuries: medical care coverage, temporary total disability that provides up to 66 2/3 percent of your wages, temporary partial disability that provides 80 percent of the loss in your earnings ability and impairment benefits if the injury causes you permanent disabilities.
If you are injured at work, please consider contacting an attorney after you report your injury to your employer. Even if you ultimately decide not to hire the attorney, a free consultation could save you a lot of time and problems.