Fort Lauderdale Workers Compensation Attorney
Every year, close to 400 people in Florida were killed in jobsite work accidents. In addition to those killed on the job, more than 60,000 workers in Florida every year are injured on the job and had to pursue work accident compensation under Florida’s Workers Compensation Statutes with the help of a Fort Lauderdale workers compensation attorney. Victims of work accidents are entitled to work accident compensation for both medical care and wage benefits.
Get The Compensation You Deserve for Your Work Injury
Florida’s work injury compensation laws have strict timelines which establish when and to whom an employee is required to report an on the job injury claim, how and when an injured employee can obtain medical treatment, when they are required to provide information to the employer or their insurance company, and many other rules which govern what medical or money benefits may be provided.
Protect Your Rights with the Help of a Fort Lauderdale Workers Compensation Attorney
Victims of work accidents are entitled to compensation for medical care and wage benefits.
Work accident compensation is an area of law which can be extremely confusing and frustrating. The attorneys at The Maus Law Firm have been fighting for work accident compensation for their clients since 1993.
Our Fort Lauderdale workers compensation attorneys have helped thousands of injured workers obtain the medical treatment and money benefits they deserve. This includes obtaining a settlement once the injured worker has received all the other benefits they are entitled to.
Many people don’t realize that, in addition to receiving your monthly medical and wage benefits, you can also have the option of settling your workers compensation claim. The settlement can give you the money to let you see the doctor you want to see, not the one the insurance company wants to send you to. It can also give you future wage benefits in one lump sum, rather than having them paid out every two weeks, with some of the payments coming on time, and some not coming at all.
Are Florida Employers Required to Offer Workers Compensation Coverage?
The short answer is “Yes” – as long as an employer has 4 or more employees, the employer is required by the State of Florida to carry workers compensation coverage. However, some companies are required to carry workers compensation coverage in Florida even if they don’t have four or more employees.
The next time you interview for a new job, apart from requesting a fair wage and other benefits, you should always make sure that the employer has workers’ compensation insurance. Employers in Florida are required to post a sign at the work place informing employees of the name and contact information of the workers compensation insurance company, and what to do if you are injured at work. Accidents happen far too often to ignore this issue. These “signs” are usually in the form of a poster given to the employer by its workers compensation insurance company. Beware of any employer that does not have one of these signs posted.
Here’s a quick review of common job settings where workers’ compensation coverage must be provided.
Florida Employers Who Must Offer Workers’ Compensation Coverage
- Agricultural positions. When employers have “four or more regular employees and/or 12 or more seasonal employees, who work for more than 30 days, [they] must . . .” offer this benefit to employees;
- Construction jobs. Anyone in this industry who hires “one or more part- or full-time employees must offer workers’ compensation to them. Construction industry contractors who subcontract all or part of their work must also obtain proof of workers’ compensation insurance or a Certificate of Election to be exempt from all sub-contractors, prior to work being done.”
Obviously, problems can develop when a subcontractor isn’t covered or exempt. When this happens, the subcontractor’s employees shall become the employees of the contractor. The employee may then seek workers compensation benefits through the general contractor.
Florida state and local government jobs. All of these employers are legally required to offer workers’ compensation coverage;
- Other positions outside of agricultural, government or construction work. An employer in one of these other areas must offer workers’ compensation when “four or more part-time or full-time workers have been hired;”
- Out-of-state employers. Basically, “any construction industry employer having one or more part- or full-time employees performing work in Florida is required to obtain a Florida policy through a Florida-licensed insurance company. Furthermore, if the construction industry employer has an out-of-state policy, the insurance company must be licensed in Florida.
Be sure to talk with a Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation attorney about any of your insurance coverage questions. After all, employers can make mistakes about properly protecting their workers.
What Professions are Eligible for Worker’s Comp Benefits?
Under Florida law, most employers are required to provide workers’ compensation coverage for their employees in most circumstances. This applies to all employees regardless of their position, seniority and job responsibilities. At the Maus Law Firm, we represent employees in all occupations who have suffered job-related injuries and illnesses. This includes, but is by no means limited to, workers such as:
- Firefighters – Firefighters face health and safety risks in all aspects of their employment. If you are a firefighter and you have suffered an injury or gotten sick on the job, you should speak with a lawyer about filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) – EMTs face daily health and safety risks as well. From slips and falls to exposure to contagious diseases, EMTs who are injured or who get sick on the job can (and should) file claims for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Doctors, Nurses and Other Healthcare Workers – Doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers put their own health on the line in order to provide care and treatment for others who are in need. Workers’ compensation benefits are available to healthcare workers who contract contagious diseases, who suffer injuries in slip-and-fall accidents, and who suffer other job-related illnesses and injuries.
- Licensed Professionals, Administrative Staff and Other Office Workers – While working in the office environment might not be as dangerous as working in certain other occupations, professionals, administrative staff members and other office workers frequently suffer job-related injuries and illnesses as well. This includes everything from carpal tunnel syndrome and lifting injuries to illnesses resulting from exposure to noxious substances.
- Drivers (Including Truck Drivers, Taxi Drivers and Others) – If you drive for work and you are injured in an accident, you can file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. This is in addition to filing a personal injury protection (PIP) claim and any liability-based claims that you have available.
- Warehouse and Industrial Workers – Working with forklifts, with industrial tools and equipment, and with items stored overhead all present injury risks for warehouse and industrial workers. Injuries from falls, falling objects, collisions and other accidents are all common, and they can all support claims for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Assembly Line Workers – Working on an assembly line presents a number of injury risks. This includes the risk of injuries from repetitive stress or repetitive motion as well as the risk of injuries from falls, assembly line equipment malfunctions and other traumatic events.
- Mechanics and Technicians – For mechanics and technicians, every day presents new risks for job-related injuries. Even if you do your job carefully, you can still suffer injuries due to unexpected issues and other factors that are beyond your control.
- Construction Workers – Construction sites are among the most-dangerous work environments in Florida. Each year, numerous construction workers suffer serious and fatal injuries. If you have been injured on a construction site, you should speak with a worker’s comp lawyer about filing for benefits.
- Skilled Tradespeople – Like many of the jobs listed above, working in the skilled trades presents injury risks on a day-to-day basis. From tool defects to coworkers’ mistakes, various issues can lead to severe and disabling injuries.
- Utility Workers – As a utility worker, you play an important role in our society. You also face a variety of health and safety risks each day you go to work. Falls, auto accidents, equipment malfunctions and coworker negligence are just some of the numerous factors that can lead to injuries on the job.
- Teachers and School Staff Members – As a teacher or school staff member, you may rarely think about the risk of being injured on the job. But, if you have been injured in a fall or while breaking up a fight, if you have suffered a repetitive stress injury, or if you have gotten sick at work, you can (and should) speak with a lawyer about filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.
- Hospitality and Retail Workers – Working in hospitality or retail might not seem dangerous, but statistics show that these are among the most-dangerous industries for employees. Have you been injured while working in a hotel or store? If so, you should speak with a lawyer about your legal rights.
- Sanitation Workers – Sanitation workers also face a variety of health and safety risks on a day-to-day basis. If you work in sanitation and you need medical treatment due to a job-related illness or injury, you will want to speak with a lawyer to make sure you fully protect your legal rights.
Regardless of what you do for work, if you have gotten injured or sick on the job, you should discuss your legal rights with a Fort Lauderdale workman’s compensation lawyer. Even if you are not eligible for workers’ comp benefits (i.e. if you are an “independent contractor” rather than an “employee”), you may have other grounds for seeking financial compensation. Additionally, many workers have misconceptions about Florida’s workers’ compensation laws; and, too often, workers who are entitled to benefits fail to effectively assert their legal rights.
For example, did you know:
- You do not have to be performing your job duties when you get injured in order to file for workers’ compensation.
- You do not have to be at your ordinary place of employment when you get injured in order to file a claim for benefits.
- Even if you accidentally injured yourself at work, you are still entitled to benefits under Florida’s “no fault” workers’ compensation system.
What Types of Accidents and Injuries are Covered by Workers’ Compensation in Florida?
A key aspect of Florida’s workers’ compensation statute is that it entitles eligible employees to “no-fault” benefits. Contrary to popular belief, this does not mean that you have to prove the absence of fault in order to file a successful claim. Rather, it means that your employer is required to cover your benefit claim regardless of your employer’s role (or lack thereof) in the accident that led to your injury. Another way to think about this is that workers’ compensation is a “no fault” system. In other words, if you have been injured on the job, fault is irrelevant to your claim for benefits (except in very limited circumstances).
With this in mind, as long as you are eligible for coverage, you can file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits after almost any type of workplace accident. This includes accidents such as:
- Vehicle collisions
- Slips and trips
- Falls from heights
- Lifting, lowering, twisting and reaching accidents
- Forklift and heavy machinery accidents
- Hand tool and power tool accidents
- Injuries at construction sites
- Ladder and scaffolding accidents
- Electrocutions
- Being struck by falling or flying objects or debris
- Accidents caused by inadequate safety precautions
If you have been injured in any of these types of accidents (or any other type of accident) on the job in South Florida, we encourage you to contact us promptly to speak with a Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation attorney about your claim for benefits. We represent workers who have suffered injuries including:
- Back and spinal cord injuries
- Broken bones
- Burns
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBI)
- Eye, ear, nose and facial injuries
- Inhalation and other toxic exposure injuries
- Repetitive stress injuries
- Soft tissue injuries (sprains, strains and tears)
A Fort Lauderdale Workers Compensation Attorney Will Help You Establish Eligibility
In Florida, not all workers are eligible to file for workers’ compensation benefits. In particular, certain small businesses are not required to provide workers’ compensation coverage (although they may still provide coverage voluntarily); and, in order to be eligible, you must be working as an “employee” rather than an “independent contractor.”
When you contact our firm about your on-the-job injury, our lawyers will gather the information required to determine whether you are eligible to file for workers’ compensation benefits. If you are eligible, your Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyer at Maus Law Firm will begin working on your claim immediately. If you are not eligible to file for benefits (either because your employer is not subject to Florida’s workers’ compensation law or you work as an independent contractor), your lawyer will determine whether you have any grounds to pursue fault-based compensation.
Importantly, even if you are eligible for workers’ compensation, we will still assess whether you have grounds to pursue a fault-based claim. This is because the benefits available through workers’ compensation are limited, as discussed in greater detail below. Examples of potential fault-based claims arising out of job-related accidents include claims against:
- Third-party contractors and subcontractors
- Building owners
- Negligent drivers
- Product manufacturers
What Disability Benefits Can You Receive if You are Hurt on the Job in Florida?
Medical care and rehabilitation, and wage benefits are some of the benefits typically awarded in workers comp claims. Compensation is often two-thirds of the employee’s average weekly wage, subject to a maximum amount.
Compensation Available as Part of Florida’s Workers Comp
You can receive medical care and rehabilitation, and wage benefits.
- Permanent Partial Disability: Compensation is payable for the permanent loss or loss of use of certain parts or functions of the body, such as the loss of the arm, hand, fingers, leg, foot, toes, hearing or vision.
- Temporary Partial and Permanent Partial Disability: Compensation is two-thirds of the employee’s weekly wage loss or loss of wage-earning capacity.
- Permanent Partial Disability for Retirees: If a worker suffers the onset of a latent occupational disease after retirement, compensation is two-thirds of the National Average Weekly Wage (NAWW) multiplied by the percentage of impairment resulting from the disease.
Our Fort Lauderdale Worker’s Compensation Attorney Helps Families Receive Death Benefits
When an employee suffers a fatal injury on the job in Florida, his or her family is entitled to receive death benefits under Florida’s workers’ compensation law. These benefits are capped at $150,000, and they include:
- Up to $7,500 in funeral expenses;
- Wage replacement benefits paid to eligible dependents; and,
- Educational benefits to the surviving spouse.
In most cases, eligible dependents will include the victim’s spouse and children. The victim’s spouse is entitled to wage replacement benefits equal to half of the victim’s weekly wage (subject to a statutory maximum), and this increases to two thirds of the victim’s weekly wage if there are surviving children. If the victim was not married at the time of death, then his or her children are each entitled to wage replacement benefits calculated as one third of the victim’s weekly wage. Dependent parents, siblings and grandchildren can claim death benefits under Florida’s workers compensation law as well.
What To Do If You Are Injured on the Job
Take immediate action if you are injured.
- NOTIFY your employer immediately. If you need medical treatment, ask your employer for a Form LS-1, which authorizes treatment by a doctor of your choice.
- OBTAIN medical treatment as soon as possible.
- GIVE written notice of your injury within 30 days to your employer on Form LS-201. Notice of death must also be given within 30 days.
- FILE a written claim for compensation within one year after the date of injury or last payment of compensation, whichever is later. A claim for survivor benefits must be filed within one year after the date of death. The time for filing claims in certain occupational disease cases has been extended to two years.
- CALL OUR WORKERS COMPENSATION LAW FIRM FOR A FREE, NO OBLIGATION CONSULTATION.
Is It Worth It to Hire a Workers Compensation Lawyer?
If you have been injured at work, one question you may have is whether you need to hire a lawyer. Since your employer is required to pay regardless of fault, can’t you just file a claim on your own? If you hire a lawyer, won’t your legal fees reduce the amount of compensation you receive for your injury? While these are valid questions, the truth of the matter is that there are several reasons why it will be beneficial to hire an experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation attorney to represent you.
1. Collecting Workers’ Compensation Benefits Isn’t Easy with a Fort Lauderdale Worker’s Compensation Lawyer
First, even though workers’ compensation is a “no fault” system, employers and their insurance companies still regularly deny injured workers’ claims. While one option is to try to file your claim on your own and then hire a lawyer later if your claim is denied, it will be far more efficient to hire a work injury lawyer up front. Additionally, attorneys’ fees for workers’ compensation cases are capped by law in Florida; so, even when you factor in your attorneys’ fees, you will still likely collect far more with legal representation.
2. There are Costly Mistakes You Need to Avoid
Second, there are some specific requirements for filing a workers’ compensation claim in Florida. While some mistakes can be corrected, others cannot. For example, if you wait too long to notify your employer of your injury (or if you do not provide “adequate” notification), then you may lose your right to benefits. By contacting an attorney promptly, you can make sure that you do everything necessary in order to protect your legal rights.
3. You Cannot Afford to Leave Workers Comp Benefits on the Table
Third, calculating the amount of your benefits can be challenging. If you do not miss time from work, then you are only entitled to medical benefits, and your employer (or its insurance company) should simply cover your injury-related medical expenses. However, if you are entitled to disability benefits as well, then you will want to work with a Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation attorney to make sure you are seeking the full benefits to which you are entitled under Florida law.
4. Failing to Secure Workers’ Compensation Benefits Can Have Long-Term Consequences
Fourth, failing to secure the benefits to which you are legally entitled can have significant ramifications for you and your family. If you are out of work and unable to pay your bills, failing to successfully file for benefits could leave you in debt and without a source of income for weeks, months or years to come.
5. You May Have a “Third-Party” Claim
Finally, as we mentioned above, you may be entitled to a financial recovery outside of workers’ compensation; and, if you are, you will need to hire an attorney to file a claim on your behalf. Workers’ compensation benefits do not cover all of the costs associated with job-related injuries, and filing a “third-party” claim could be your best (and only) option for fully recovering your losses.
6. The Insurance Company has a Lawyer. You Should, Too
Insurance companies are multi-billion dollar, sophisticated business conglomerates with thousands of attorneys working for them, and against you. You may be speaking with the adjustor on a daily basis, but you can be certain that she is checking with her attorney every step of the way. Florida’s workers compensation laws are not perfect, but they do provide you with medical and wage benefits at a time when you need it the most – after you’ve been injured. But don’t expect an insurance company to tell you about different choices you have. You need somebody protecting your rights, and making sure you get all the benefits you deserve, and are entitled to.
7. A Worker’s Compensation Attorney Can Prevent Your Benefits from Being Delayed
Certain workers compensation insurance companies are notorious for delaying benefits such as wage checks and doctors appointments. You count on these benefits, and you are entitled to them. The uncertainty of when you will receive them just adds to the frustration of the system. An experienced Fort Lauderdale job accident lawyer can put pressure on the insurance company to minimize the frustration and aggravation caused by being injured at work. Insurance companies have to be reminded that the purpose of Florida’s workers compensation system is “quick and efficient delivery of disability and medical benefits” to the injured worker.
8. You May Be Entitled to More Than Just Compensation.
Workers compensation doesn’t just provide medical and wage benefits. It can also provide you with benefits if your injury prevents you from returning to your old job. In certain cases, you may be entitled to free job retraining and wage benefits while you complete the re-training. If it is determined you cannot return to work, you may be entitled to a disability benefit up to the age of 65. Don’t expect the insurance company to counsel you on how to obtain these benefits, because if you qualify, it is going to cost them money. Get advice from an experienced workers compensation lawyer looking out for you, and only you.
What If I Can’t Afford an Attorney for My Worker’s Comp Claim?
Good news: A Fort Lauderdale’s worker’s compensation lawyer costs nothing out of pocket.
The economy is not great, and we all need to cut back on expenses. The last thing most people need is another monthly expense. However, our workers compensation lawyers work on a contingent basis. That means the lawyers only get paid if you settle your claim, and the attorneys fee is a percentage of the settlement recovery. Nothing comes out of your pocket. Also, as the workers compensation laws currently exist, we can recover some or all of the attorneys fees from the insurance company.
Contact a Fort Lauderdale Workers Compensation Attorney
Call us for a phone consultation about the specifics of your case or complete our online form. We’re available Monday thru Friday toll-free at (855) 999-5297.