Workers’ Compensation Lawyers in Orlando, Florida
Do you need help with a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Orlando? The Vaughan Law Group can help you.
More than 180,000 workers in the United States are injured every year while on the job. These injuries often require medical treatment and force victims out of work for prolonged periods of time. In some instances, workers have to spend months off work, receiving medical treatment, and recovering from their injuries.
The state of Florida requires all businesses with four or more employees to maintain a workers’ compensation insurance policy. These policies are designed to provide injured workers with compensation and various other benefits while they are forces out of work to ensure they are able to tend to their financial responsibilities and receive the medical treatment they need.
It is important that workers understand the laws that protect them in case they become the victim of an accident while on the job.
Obtaining Financial Compensation for Your Workplace Injury in Florida
Workers’ compensation is a type of insurance that provides financial compensation to injured workers. These policies are designed to cover various losses and damages individuals face as a result of a workplace injury or illness.
In a sense, workers’ compensation policies are designed to work in a similar way to car insurance policies for people injured in auto collisions. Workers’ compensation benefits provide coverage to injured workers for various costs and losses, including:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Prescription medications needed for your injuries or illnesses
- Medical equipment needed for work injuries or illnesses
- Income replacement
- Job replacement benefits, whenever necessary
The extent and nature of benefits injured workers receive depend highly on whether the injury created no disability, a partial disability, or left a permanent disabled. In some instances, workers suffer injuries that do not leave them with permanent disabilities but can permanently disqualify them from their field. In these cases, workers’ compensation benefits are available to help individuals find a different job or career through training. Workers who suffer injuries that leave them paralyzed can recover workers’ compensation insurance benefits that replace their income for the rest of their lives. Working with a reputable workers’ compensation attorney in Orlando will ensure you obtain the benefits you need and deserve.
Pain and Suffering After Your Accident
Although workers’ compensation benefits in Florida provide an array of benefits for injured workers, they provide no coverage for pain and suffering victims are forced to endure. When injured workers are left with overwhelming mental and physical pain and suffering, they may not be able to obtain compensation for the treatment of these conditions.
It is important to note that workers’ compensation benefits are not only limited to employees. There are numerous instances where workers are injured due to defective equipment, the actions of others, and various other circumstances. In these cases, third-parties can be named in separate lawsuits.
There are several parties that can be held liable for injuries in damages aside from an employer. From maintenance companies that were negligent in repairing equipment, to cleaners who did not adequately clear floor surfaces or chemical spills. Working with an aggressive personal injury attorney in Florida will ensure you are able to hold all liable parties accountable so you can maximize your financial compensation after an accident on the job. The workers’ compensation lawyers at Vaughan Law Group work to ensure that injured workers are able to obtain the compensation and benefits they need and deserve after suffering on the job injuries.
Restrictions on Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Florida
Although most workers who are injured on the job are able to qualify for benefits, there are some requirements and restrictions on these benefits in Florida. To begin, workers must have sustained at least 50 percent of the injury while on the job. For example, if you were involved in an accident at home that resulted in an arm injury, and the work injury slightly exacerbated the injury, you most likely will not receive workers’ compensation benefits. Other circumstances which can prevent injured workers from obtaining benefits include:
- If the injury was self-inflected intentionally.
- If the injury was caused due to you being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- If the injury was inflicted intentionally to obtain workers’ compensation benefits.
- If the employee refused to follow safety rules.
- If the employee refused to use readily available safety equipment.
In addition, if workers fall under any of these excluded categories, they will not be able to sue their employer for negligence. Cases where injuries are purposefully self-inflicted, or those sustained by intoxicated workers, are generally not pursuable. If you feel you were wrongfully denied benefits that you truly deserve, it is important that you reach out to a workers’ compensation attorney in Orlando as soon as possible.
Contact a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Florida
Workers’ compensation insurance offers benefits but also presents an array of shortcomings for those injured on the job. These benefits can help injured workers by covering the costs for medical care and providing compensation to keep families afloat as they recover. In some cases, injured workers are wrongfully denied benefits or have their benefits reduced without merit. It is important for those harmed to contact Vaughan Law Group as soon as possible to receive the compensation and benefits they deserve.
Our Orlando, Florida workers’ compensation attorneys can analyze the facts and circumstances surrounding your accident to determine what legal options are available for you. Our team has experience helping injured workers obtain the workers’ compensation benefits they need and deserve to move forward from their accidents. Contact Vaughan Law Group today to explore your legal options.
