Employees in Coral Springs and throughout Florida have the right to expect their place of work to be a safe space. Unfortunately, workplace accidents are still a common occurrence. Employers in Florida are required by law to carry workers’ compensation insurance in the event that an employee suffers a work-related injury or illness
Workers’ compensation is intended to help employees that suffer workplace or work-related injuries or illnesses recover their medical expenses and some of the lost income. However, it is not always easy to recover these workers’ compensation benefits in Coral Springs, which is why it is always advisable to hire and retain a reputable workers’ compensation lawyer.
If you have suffered a workplace or work-related illness or injury, the trusted workers’ compensation lawyers at Work Injury Rights can help you recover the workers’ compensation benefits in Coral Springs you are entitled to. Contact us today via phone at 954-388-8616 or using the online form provided to schedule a free initial consultation and case evaluation.
What are the Florida Workers’ Compensation Income Limits?
Florida has a limit on how much disability pay workers are eligible to receive each week. Disability compensation cannot exceed the average weekly wage as determined by the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity. The payment limit is updated annually on the first day of the year. The maximum weekly disability benefit in Florida as of January 1, 2021, is $1,011.
What are the Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Coral Springs?
In Florida, workers’ compensation insurance is designed to replace lost wages if an employee is forced to take more than 7 consecutive days off work to recover from a workplace or work-related injury or illness.
If an employee must take less than 21 days to recover, the first 7 days of lost wages won’t be compensated. If the illness or injury requires 21 or more days off work, then the first 7 days will be covered. Here are the different types of workers’ compensation benefits in Coral Springs, Florida:
Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefits
Temporary total disability refers to when an employee is temporarily unable to work while recovering from a workplace or work-related injury or illness.
Workers’ compensation covers two-thirds of the employee’s average weekly pay until the treating physician says they can resume work duties. Temporary total disability benefits are awarded for a maximum of 104 weeks.
If you suffer a severe injury, the benefit rate may go up to 80 percent of your wages prior to the injury. In such a situation, there’s no maximum amount that you can receive.
Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) Benefits
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits are awarded when an employee is approved to resume work duties, but only part-time or in a light-duty capacity while recovering from a workplace or work-related injury or illness.
To qualify for TPD, you must not be earning more than 80 percent of your income prior to the injury. TPD benefits are 80 percent of the difference between 80 percent of the pre-injury average weekly pay and the amount you are currently earning.
Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefits
Permanent Partial Disability benefits are awarded if an employee is injured in such a way that they are unable to do the job they had prior to the injury and thus must obtain a job in a different line of work.
In this case, compensation is typically awarded according to the severity of the disability once maximum medical improvement has been achieved and the temporary total disability benefits have run out.
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) Benefits
Permanent Total Disability Benefits are awarded when an employee is unable to work at all following a serious workplace or work-related injury or illness. In that case, workers’ compensation provides the injured worker with two-thirds of their average weekly pay until they reach age 75.
However, Permanent Total Disability benefits are only awarded after you have reached maximum medical improvement. The rate of compensation, however, is subject to the annual increases in the cost of living.
How are Florida Workers’ Compensation Benefits Calculated?
Workers’ compensation benefits in Florida are calculated as follows:
- At a rate of 66 percent of the Average Weekly Wage (AWW). The AWW is calculated using a variety of methods. However, the most common one involves taking an arithmetic average of gross earnings during the 13 weeks before the accident.
- At a rate of 80 percent if your injury is considered “severe” (e.g. paralysis, blindness, amputation). Instead of two-thirds, you will receive 80 percent of your regular wages for the first 6 months. The workers’ compensation benefits in Coral Springs, however, cannot exceed a maximum amount set by the state.
Are Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Coral Springs Taxed?
Most of the benefits received by injured employees through workers’ compensation aren’t taxable at the state or even federal level in Florida. So, any workers’ compensation benefits in Coral Springs awarded to an individual due to a compensable work injury or illness are tax-exempt in Florida.
Still, it is worth noting that there are exceptions to this general rule. If you’re receiving either Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) on top of the workers’ compensation benefits in Coral Springs, you may be required to pay taxes.
Why? The Social Security Administration is required to ensure that the total amount of benefits awarded between the disability payments and workers’ compensation benefits doesn’t exceed the applicable threshold.
Call Our Trusted Lawyers Today for Help With Understanding Your Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Coral Springs
A workplace or work-related injury or illness has the potential to adversely impact your ability to earn a living, provide for your family, and can even leave you with lasting injuries. Fortunately, the vast majority of such injuries or illnesses are covered under workers’ compensation, which employers throughout Florida are required to carry.
If you have suffered a workplace or work-related injury or illness and are overwhelmed by filing a claim or your claim has been denied, it is time to hire a dedicated legal team to ensure that your rights are always protected. The workers’ compensation lawyers at Work Injury Rights in Coral Springs fit the bill.
Contact us today either via phone at 954-388-8616 or using the online contact form provided to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation and case evaluation. Let us put our legal knowledge to work to help you recover the workers’ compensation benefits in Coral Springs, Florida that you are entitled to under the law.
