Naples Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
You may not realize it, but one of the most common places people are injured are their workplaces. Each year, millions of American workers sustain some form of job-related injury or occupational illness. While many of these cases are not serious, they still may require a worker to seek medical treatment and miss time from work.
Florida’s workers’ compensation system is designed to provide benefits to workers in these situations. Unfortunately, actually obtaining these benefits often require the worker to jump through a number of legal hoops. Our experienced Naples workers’ compensation lawyer can help. At the Pendas Law Firm, we have a track record of helping injured workers obtain the medical and wage replacement benefits they are entitled to under the law.
What Happens When You Are Injured on the Job?
Anytime you are injured on the job, you need to report that accident to your employer as soon as possible. Under Florida workers’ compensation law, you must report an injury within 30 days or your employer can deny any claim for benefits. Keep in mind, workers’ compensation is a “no-fault” system, so your employer cannot deny a claim because it thinks you might have been responsible for your injury.
Most Florida employers take out workers’ compensation insurance to cover employee claims. An employer is supposed to report a worker injury to the insurer within seven days. The insurer will then send the employee a formal notice outlining their rights. If, for any reason, your employer does not report your claim in a timely manner, you have the right to do so.
Under workers’ compensation, the employer and its insurer is expected to pay for an employee’s medical treatment for a covered injury or illness. Typically, the insurance company will select the doctors that the employee must use. And any medical bills must be submitted to the insurer for payment.
Workers’ compensation also provides wage replacement benefits. Basically, you are entitled to two-thirds of your average weekly wage while you are unable to return to work. This “average” is based on the wages you earned in the 13 weeks prior to your injury (excluding the week you were injured). You can expect to receive your first benefits within 21 days of reporting your injury to your employer.
These wage replacement benefits are considered temporary as they cannot last more than 104 weeks (or 2 years). If you are still medically unable to return to work, you may be entitled to permanent disability benefits under workers’ compensation. Similarly, if you suffered a permanent impairment as a result of your workplace injury–say the loss of a bodily function–you are also entitled to compensation as provided by law.
Contact The Pendas Law Firm Today
When you are struggling from a job-related injury or occupational illness, the last thing you want to do is try and navigate the complexities of the workers’ compensation on your own–especially if your employer and its insurance company are stonewalling you. Let us take that burden off of your shoulders. If you need to speak with a skilled Naples workers’ compensation lawyer, contact the Pendas Law Firm today.
