Every year thousands of Florida workers are injured on the job or suffer a work-related illness. If you're one of those unfortunate employees, you may be entitled to money under a state-mandated program known as workers’ compensation.
Workers' compensation provides money to replace some of the earnings you lost because of your accident or illness. You may also be entitled to money for any temporary or permanent disability, as well as medical treatment and vocational rehabilitation.
However, collecting that money can be a real challenge. Workers' compensation laws are complicated and have changed frequently during the past several years. Disputes with workers' compensation insurance companies are not uncommon, and some injured workers are unfairly denied the money they need to support themselves and their families.
Do not get caught up in a dispute. For help with your claim, turn to the West Palm Beach, FL workers’ compensation lawyers of Gordon & Doner, P.A. We have years of experience with Florida's workers' compensation laws and we'll help you get the benefits to which you are entitled. Contact our workplace injury and occupational disease attorneys at 1-800-659-1159 for a free review of your case.
Nearly all employers are subject to workers’ compensation laws and must carry insurance for employee accidents, injuries or occupational illnesses. That insurance covers you from your first day at work and continues throughout your employment.
A covered injury can be caused by a specific event, such as a fall, or by the constant and repetitive stresses of the job. A pre-existing health condition that is not work-related but that is aggravated by a job injury may also be covered, as well as occupational illnesses caused by workplace conditions.
If you are injured on the job, you should report it as soon as possible. The law requires that you tell your employer about the accident or job-related injury within 30 days. Your employer is then responsible for notifying its workers’ compensation insurance company about your injury and arranging medical assistance for you.
Medical and disability benefits are paid out according to a state-approved formula. In most cases, your benefit check, which is paid bi-weekly, will be two-thirds of your average weekly wage, up to a maximum amount set by the state. There are several types of disability benefits that may apply to your injury or illness, including:
- Temporary total benefits are paid for a disability that prevents an employee from working during a limited or temporary period of time before reaching maximum medical improvement.
- Temporary partial benefits are paid for a disability that allows an employee to work in a limited capacity during recovery.
- Permanent impairment benefits are payable for disabilities that result in amputation, serious vision loss, or serious facial or head disfigurement.
- Impairment income benefits are payable only for injuries that result in a permanent impairment rating.
- Supplemental benefits are paid for disabilities that cause an impairment rating of 20 percent or more. In these cases, the injured employee either has not returned to work and cannot find a suitable job or has returned to work and is earning less than the pre-injury wage.
- Permanent total benefits are paid for disabilities that prevent an employee from returning to work, even in a light-duty job.
- Death benefits may be collected by the surviving dependents if a worker dies as a result of an accident within one year or within five years of the accident if there has been a continuous disability.
Because it may be difficult to determine which benefits apply to your situation, you should consider having your case evaluated by an attorney -- especially if an insurance company attempts to deny your claim.
The West Palm Beach workers’ compensation attorneys of Gordon & Doner, P.A., have the experience to ensure that you receive all of the benefits to which you are entitled. We represent clients in West Palm Beach, Martin County, Stuart, Pembroke Pines, Miami and throughout Florida.
Please complete our online contact form or call us toll free at 1-800-659-1159 to discuss your case and the unique issues that surround your workplace injury. We will fight to ensure that you receive the compensation you and your family deserve.
