- Workers' Compensation
Regardless of the nature of your employment, you are always at risk of suffering an injury due to a workplace accident. Unlike in other cases, you can recover damages without taking legal action against your employer if they carry workers’ compensation. However, your injuries must be considered compensable work injuries in Coral Springs for you to receive these benefits.
In Florida, your injury must have occurred due to work-related activities and in the course of your employment for you to receive benefits. This means that if you get injured doing what is expected of you in your job, then you deserve to be compensated. If your injury is not work-related, you may not receive workers’ comp benefits.
If you have been injured on the job and aren’t sure whether your injury is compensable, it is important that you speak to an attorney. At Work Injury Rights, our Coral Springs workers’ compensation lawyers specialize in Florida law and can help with your case.
Call us at 954-833-5226 or fill our online form today to schedule a case evaluation to find out the benefits you may be entitled to for your compensable work injuries in Coral Springs.
What Are Compensable Work Injuries?
Under workers’ compensation, compensable injuries are those that occur due to and in the course of one’s employment, and result in impairment or lost wages. They are injuries that an employee suffers while doing what their job requires them to do.
Workplace accidents can be devastating and financially draining, but it is important to acknowledge that some injuries won’t be compensated under workers’ compensation, even if they happen while at your workplace. Below are some common compensable work injuries in Coral Springs covered under workers’ compensation insurance:
Back and Neck Injuries
Neck and back injuries are common among employees in the construction sector, and may be caused by falling objects, continuous heavy lifting, or car accidents.
Fractures
Slip, trip and fall accidents in workplaces may easily result in fractures. Employees who are involved in car accidents or get hit by falling objects may also suffer fractures.
Joint Pain
Repetitive activities such as typing and heavy lifting are some common causes of joint pain, which could be chronic if an employee doesn’t get early treatment.
Dislocations and Broken Bones
Falling from considerably dangerous heights, often experienced in construction sites, could easily cause dislocations and broken bones. These injuries could also occur due to high-impact car accidents.
Amputations
Operation of heavy machinery and handling of large cutting tools or equipment puts workers at risk of having their limbs severed whenever an accident occurs.
Paralysis and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
These are some of the injuries that are considered catastrophic as employees may never be able to return to work, such as paralysis and traumatic brain injury. A traumatic brain injury or TBI may arise from high-impact falls, car accidents, or getting hit by heavy objects.
Cuts and Lacerations
These injuries are common whenever accidents happen when working with machinery or sharp tools.
Burns
Workers who are constantly exposed to radiation, excessive heat, or corrosive chemicals are usually at risk of suffering burns.
Hearing Loss
Constant exposure to loud noise without sufficient protection could lead to short or long-term loss of hearing, and workers could receive benefits if they lose their hearing ability.
Aggravation of Pre-Existing Conditions
On-work aggravation of pre-existing conditions could force employees to take some time off work and seek medical treatment. However, such workers have to prove that their pre-existing condition was made worse by work-related activities only for them to receive benefits for compensable work injuries in Coral Springs.
Occupational Illnesses
Employees may receive workers’ compensation benefits if they suffer illnesses resulting from their work activities. To receive benefits, they need a medical report indicating that their illness was caused by their work and nothing else.
What Types of Compensation Can You Claim?
Compensable work injuries in Coral Springs often lead to temporary or permanent impairment and lost wages as an injured employee may not be able to resume work immediately. In such situations, the injured employee may be entitled to receive the following workers’ comp benefits:
Medical Benefits
In most cases, you’ll need to seek medical treatment if you’ve suffered a work-related injury. Under workers’ compensation, any medical expenses will be paid off by your employer’s insurance carrier if they are considered to be compensable work injuries in Coral Springs.
Some of these medical expenses that are covered by workers’ compensation include:
- Doctor’s visits
- Surgery
- Prescription drugs
- Medical equipment like wheelchairs and crutches
- Physical therapy.
Income Benefits
These benefits are awarded to workers who suffer a disability, whether temporal or permanent, to cover part of their lost wages. Each state has its own rules regarding these benefits and their limits, and it is important that you speak to an experienced lawyer if you’re not sure of the benefits you are entitled to.
Below are some of the income benefits that injured employees in Florida may receive under workers’ compensation:
- Temporary total disability benefits are awarded if an employee misses work for more than 21 days due to their injury or illness.
- Temporary partial disability benefits may also be awarded if an employee returns to work after their injury but earns less than their pre-injury average weekly wages.
- Permanent partial disability benefits are awarded to workers who have suffered a permanent impairment but can engage in some gainful work or employment.
- Permanent total disability benefits are awarded to workers who are deemed to have suffered a permanent impairment even after reaching maximum medical improvement, and the impairment prevents them from working or ever engaging in any gainful employment.
Call Work Injury Rights to learn if your injuries or illnesses are considered to be compensable work injuries in Coral Springs.
How Long Do You Have to File for Compensation in Florida?
In most workers’ compensation cases, employees will have 2 years from the date of the workplace accident to file a Petition for Benefits. However, this time limit can be extended by one year if you receive medical or indemnity benefits from your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company. Contact a workers’ compensation lawyer at Work Injury Rights to get more information about the workers’ comp claims process in Coral Springs, FL.
Schedule a Free Consultation Today to Learn More About Compensable Work Injuries in Coral Springs
Workers’ compensation offers coverage for work-related injuries and illnesses. Employees may therefore receive part of their wages and have their medical expenses paid off by their employer’s insurance company. However, it is important to note that your injury must be compensable under workers’ comp for you to receive these benefits.
If you have been injured in Coral Springs and are not sure whether your injury or illness is compensable, you need to speak to a lawyer. Reach out to Work Injury Rights today via 954-833-5226 to speak to one of our Coral Springs workers’ compensation lawyers about your case.
