Injuries in the workplace are so prevalent and occur everywhere. When employees sustain an injury while they are still on the clock, they may have legal precedent to start the workers’ compensation claim process in St. Petersburg.
If you have suffered an injury while fulfilling your job duties, it is within your legal rights to pursue the reimbursement you are owed.
The workers’ compensation policy in Florida covers employees who sustain an injury while on the job. Afflicted workers may stand to benefit from paid medical treatment, reimbursement for lost wages, as well as other financial assistance.
For you to receive these benefits, you will be required to meet certain caveats, which include informing your employer about the injury within a certain period.
If you are looking for a workers’ compensation attorney about the workers’ compensation claims process in St. Petersburg, FL, then look no further.
With the workers’ compensation lawyers in St. Petersburg at Florida Lawyers 360 to help you out. To get the ball of your claims process rolling, contact us now at 954-448-7355 to get a free case assessment.
How Can I Know if My Injury Will Be Covered By a Workers’ Comp Claim?
Workers’ compensation is a cluster of regulations guaranteeing that if an employee were to be injured while fulfilling their job responsibilities, they are subject to receive reimbursement to cover medical bills and other expenses.
Also, workers’ compensation assists employees not to sue their employer in attempts of recovering payment.
In the majority of the States, every business is required by law to carry some form of workers’ compensation policy to cover employees who have sustained an injury in the workplace.
In Florida, many employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance – either by buying the comp coverage from a private insurer or by acquiring accreditation from the state to self-insure.
In the state of Florida, the DWC (Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation) manages all matters relating to workers’ comp claims.
Your employer is mandated to carry an insurance coverage policy when:
- Your employer, in the construction field, has one or more workers
- Your employer, who’s not in the construction sector, has four or more part-time or full-time workers
- Your employer operates as a farmer and has over five regular workers and/or twelve or more seasonal workers working for not less than thirty days.
- Your employer is a local or state government
As with other U.S. states, Florida operates on a no-fault workers’ compensation doctrine. This means that in order for you to get compensated, you don’t need to prove that your boss acted recklessly.
You’ll typically qualify to receive benefits as long as you were hurt while fulfilling your job responsibilities. As a matter of fact, workers’ compensation encapsulates most of the injuries that happen in the workplace.
This includes:
- Deaths
- Diseases
- Illnesses
- Accidents
- Injuries
Information regarding the insurance coverage plan of your employer should easily be accessible at the workplace. If this isn’t the case, you should think about contacting the Employee Assistance and Ombudsman Office.
How Long Do You Have to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Florida?
After an employee has sustained an injury as a result of a workplace accident and time lapses, sometimes the injured employee will hear the phrase ‘statute of limitations’ from the insurance provider when following up with a workers’ comp physician for medicare.
If you have the unfortunate ordeal of sustaining a workplace injury in, attorneys at Florida Lawyers 360 believe that it is important you understand your obligations and rights as per Florida regulations relating to workers’ compensation and the statute of limitations.
This stipulation under Florida law bars an injured employee’s rights of claiming benefits, sue for wages lost, or get any paid for medicare. Florida workers’ compensation claim is deemed void unless the claim is filed within the :
- Two years following the injury date
- After the original years, within a year of the last benefits you received, or a year of the last time you received medical care.
This implies that after your workplace injury, it is vital that you consult with your worker’s compensation doctor(s) regularly.
How Do You Start the Workers’ Compensation Claim Process in St. Petersburg, Florida?
If you have sustained an injury while fulfilling your work duties, the first step in the claims process is informing your employer right away.
The time frame for this is 30 days following your accident date or 30 days following the date your physician diagnosed that you have suffered a work-related injury.
Not informing your employer within these stipulated time periods may render your workers’ compensation claim redundant or raise the likelihood of your claim getting rejected.
After informing your injury to your employer, she or he is obliged to inform his workers’ compensation insurer and notify them about your injuries within seven days of you reporting the incident to the employer.
If your employer fails to inform their insurer, you can proceed to notify the insurer yourself. The information to get a hold of the insurer should either be easily accessible at your place of work or you can contact the Employee Assistance and Ombudsman Office.
Your employer’s insurer and your employer should fill out the First Report of Injury or Illness (DWC-1). After notifying your employer about the sustained injury, you can proceed to use the services of the physician sanctioned by your employer.
The insurance provider of your employer will then pay for all the sanctioned medical costs.
Contact Us Today For Legal Aid with Your St. Petersburg Workers’ Compensation Claims Process!
Given the intricacies of Florida’s workplace injuries laws, it easy to get lost in the claims process. If you aren’t conversant with the ins and outs of the legal system, it’s best to leave it to professionals.
We at Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Coalition Florida have amassed a great wealth of experience dealing with workers’ compensation claims in St. Petersburg and are confident in our abilities to defend you get the settlement you are rightfully owed.
If you are seeking a workers’ compensation claim, our proficient attorneys can help you navigate the claims process.
Contact us at 954-448-7355 to schedule a complimentary case evaluation!
