When you have been injured at work, you have the legal right to pursue compensation through the Florida workers’ compensation benefits program. The severity of your injuries and how long you are unable to work will determine how much compensation you will get. The cap on funds per week for missed wages is $939 and you must be out of work for 21 days before you get your first check.

Even though there are limitations in wage reimbursement, there is no delay in paying for your medical care. When you go to an authorized medical provider, that doctor’s office will bill your employer’s worker’s compensation insurance carrier directly. This means that you will not be burdened with the cost of your medical care. To maximize the amount of money you receive from your Florida workers’ compensation claim, you should speak with an experienced Florida workers’ compensation lawyer.

How Long Will Your Florida Workers’ Compensation Benefits Last?

When you have submitted a successful Florida workers’ compensation claim and you have been out of work long enough to obtain compensation for missed wages, you will start receiving your payments on a bi-weekly basis. How long will those checks keep coming? You will continue to receive your much-needed benefits as long as any of the following doesn’t happen:

• The doctor who has provided your medical care says that you have healed and are ready to return to your job.
• You have been receiving your workers’ compensation benefits for two years.
• A doctor certifies that you have reached  “maximum medical improvement” meaning you have healed as much as possible for your condition.

Not every Florida workers’ compensation claim is the same. According to the Florida Supreme Court, if your injuries have left you disabled but a doctor doesn’t declare that you have reached MMI you may not have to be limited by the two-year time cap. Also, when you are allowed to go back to work, but you have limitations on what you can do, you may still have the potential to receive a portion of your benefits. In other cases, you may be declared permanently impaired and if this happens, you will be given a rating which will decide how much compensation you can obtain and for what amount of time you will receive it. You can also be deemed permanently disabled, and when your disability prevents you from being able to work at all, you may be able to receive your benefits until you reach the age of 75.

Speak with a Florida Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Worker’s compensation serves to help employees financially while they are out of work from a workplace injury and it also protects employers from legal suits against them when a workplace injury happens. Filing a workers’ compensation claim can help you get the financial assistance you need while you recover from your injuries, but it also makes it very difficult to pursue any other legal action against your employer. Speaking with an experienced Florida workers’ compensation attorney will ensure your workers’ compensation claim is managed appropriately while also providing you counsel on any other actions you can take and what your legal rights are. 

Stephen M. Andrews is a Tallahassee worker’s compensation lawyer that will help you with your claim. Call a Florida workplace accident injury attorney at (850) 906-9599 to schedule a free consultation.