When you are injured on the job in Florida, you might be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. It is vital that you apply for these benefits as soon as you know that you will need medical care or that you will have to miss work because of your injury. There are several points that you should be aware of in case you are ever injured on the job.
You will have to see the doctor who is approved by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company. The initial visit can be with any doctor your employer authorizes; however, if you require follow-up care, you will have to go through a doctor who is authorized by the insurance company.
Besides covering your medical bills that result from the accident, workers’ compensation might also cover some of the lost wages that you suffered because of the injury. You aren’t going to recoup all the wages that you missed, but you might be able to receive temporary disability after the injury. Benefits for temporary disability can last up to 104 weeks.
It is also possible for you to receive permanent disability or for a family who loses a loved one to receive death benefits. Even if a loved one doesn’t pass away immediately, death benefits are still possible if the death occurs within one year of the accident or within five years of continuous disability.
There is a chance that workers’ compensation might not provide you with the benefits you need. In that case, you might have to fight for compensation. Understanding how to get the benefits you need can help you to go through the process with as little stress as possible.
Source: Florida Department of Financial Services, “Benefits,” accessed Oct. 06, 2015
