If you have a permanent employment contract (not working as an independent contractor) in Orlando, then Florida State laws stipulate that your employer should provide you with workers’ compensation insurance from the first day you report to work. It is coverage that protects you from losses associated with a workplace injury or illness. In short, you get to enjoy a payment while undergoing treatment or recovering for compensable work injuries in Orlando, as you would have if you were working and earning a wage.
While the workers’ compensation act is taken seriously in Florida, few individuals are confident that their employers will honor it. Many are not sure if they qualify to pursue compensable work injuries in Orlando. Fortunately, we are a team of workers’ compensation lawyers that have handled such cases in Florida, having a combined 45-year experience.
Therefore, we are confident that we are the law professional you need. We are a team that understands the various legal requirements involved when filing worker’ comp claims in Orlando, FL, and how to ensure you recover the compensation benefits. So, call us at 954-829-7077 or visit our office to book a free case review and learn more about our services.
What is a Compensable Work Injury?
The law stipulates that workers’ comp claimants must provide proof supporting their claim of getting injured or contracting an illness due to their profession. According to Florida State workers’ compensation act, the work-related injuries that qualify as compensable work injuries in Orlando are:
Directly Associated with the Claimant’s Job
Your work responsibilities or duties must have a direct correlation with injury or sickness you suffer to qualify as compensable. For example, suffering a stroke while having lunch at the office canteen is among types of injuries that are not compensable work injuries in Orlando because it is not linked with your occupational responsibilities.
You Sustained the Injuries While Working
You contracted the illness or were injured when performing your employment duties. For instance, a slip and fall injury can be compensable if it happened within the office premises as you worked but be disqualified if it happened when you were running personal errands.
The two requirements echo a singular element that must be fulfilled if you qualify to seek workers’ compensation benefits – that you suffered your injury or sickness when performing your employment responsibilities. The lawyer assigned to your case will ensure that it meets these two conditions before filing the claim case for compensable work injuries in Orlando.
Furthermore, we also will strive to discredit any suggestions from your employer and the insurance carrier, purporting that your injuries are not work-related. We have handled many workers’ comp cases and are familiar with some of the damages associated with different professions or industries. We know that some employees face a higher risk than others given the nature of their work.
Nevertheless, most of the common compensable work injuries in Orlando that we have encountered when handling workers’ compensation cases include:
- Back/Neck Injuries – Back and neck injuries are often associated with tripping/slipping and falling, or strains when pushing or lifting heavy objects in the workplace.
- Burns – Burns are common among employees whose occupations entail dealing with fire and extreme heat.
- Slip and Fall – A slip and fall is a typical workplace accident and can be attributed to negligence or recklessness if caused by debris lying around the floors, poor lighting, wet or icy floors, unstable walkways, and other issues. Such accidents can often result in bruises, sprains, fractures, and broken bones that can render a person permanently or temporarily disabled.
- Joint Pain – This is common among workers whose duties involve lifting bulky items that put their joints under immense pressure.
- Amputations – Amputations are often the only viable solution for broken limbs that suffered irreparable damage. During a freak accident, a machine can sometimes amputate a worker, ripping a finger, toe, foot, hand, leg, or arm.
- Fractures – Fractures can be linked to different incidents, such as a heavy object falling on a person or a slip-and-fall accident, among others.
- Hearing Loss – Hearing loss is common in jobs with noisy environments and the staff does not have protective gear for their ears
- Death – Death is associated with a freak accident. It can result from a slip-and-fall incident, being hit by a falling object, severe burns, or excessive bleeding due to a severe laceration.
What Type of Compensable Work Injuries in Orlando can an Injured Worker Claim?
Providing irrefutable evidence that links the accident and the resulting illness or injury to your professional occupation is essential. According to the Florida Workers’ Compensation Act, employees can qualify to pursue claims for compensable work injuries in Orlando, meaning they can recover the damages incurred due to an occupational injury or illness.
Our lawyer will help you recover treatment expenses (including surgery and therapy costs), prescription drugs expenses, vocational rehab costs, travel expenses when going for treatment or therapy, and the temporary or permanent disfigurement sustained. We also focus on recovering damages like wrongful death, lost wages, a lost capacity to earn, and more.
How Long Do Injured Workers Have to File for Compensable Work Injuries in Orlando?
All compensation claim cases are subject to a statute of limitations, meaning your workers’ comp case must be filed within a stipulated period. According to Florida laws, employees claiming compensable workplace injuries have one year from when the occupational accident happened to file their claim. But the specifics of when the time starts are subject to some overriding circumstances. For instance, it can start when the employee started getting treatment or discovered they were injured, but both necessitate informing the employer of the injury or illness.
Our Seasoned Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Can Help With Filing a Claim for Your Compensable Work Injuries in Orlando
Florida State laws give employees the right to seek compensation for their injuries if hurt while on the job in Orlando. Employer and their insurance providers are aware of this and the legal regulations stipulating the need to provide a safe work environment and insurance coverage, but they also are keen on mitigating. As such, they will do what they can to reduce or reject a compensation claim. So, it is best to consider having experienced law professionals having your back when filing a claim for your compensable work injuries in Orlando.
We are a team of workers’ compensation lawyers who have handled such cases in Florida, having a combined 45-year experience. Therefore, we are confident that we are the law professional you need. We are a team that understands the various legal requirements involved when filing worker’ comp claims in Orlando, FL, and how to ensure you recover the compensation benefits. So, call us at 954-829-7077 or visit our office to book a free case review, reliable legal counsel, advice, and learn more about our services regarding compensable work injuries in Orlando.