Injured On The Job in Fort Lauderdale? How Reporting Deadlines Impact Florida Workers’ Compensation Claims

When work-related injuries or illnesses happen in Fort Lauderdale, there’s often a tendency to downplay the situation and the severity of harm. This can cause you to delay notifying your employer, which could jeopardize your eligibility for Florida workers’ compensation benefits.

Injured workers often don’t realize the clock is ticking until it’s too late. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyer explains the reporting deadlines and how they impact your rights in a claim.

30-Day Deadline For Reporting Workers’ Compensation Injuries in Fort Lauderdale

Workers’ compensation helps cover medical bills, lost income, and other costs when on-the-job injuries happen in South Florida. However, under the Florida Statutes, you must report your injuries to your employer within 30 days of when they happen to be eligible.

If your injuries weren’t caused by a specific accident or you suffer an occupational illness, the deadline is 30 days from when you first knew (or reasonably should have known) that the condition was work-related. This sounds like plenty of time, but in practice, delays are common. Reasons they happen include:

• Downplaying the severity of an accident, injury, or illness.
• Concerns about missing work and paying for medical care.
• Fears that reporting will reflect poorly on you or jeopardize your job.
• Thinking that you were to blame or otherwise not entitled to benefits.

What happens if you don’t notify your employer right away? It could jeopardize your rights to workers’ compensation in South Florida, leaving you with heavy out-of-pocket costs.

To Protect Your Rights To Florida Workers’ Compensation, Report Work-Related Injuries Immediately

Benefits available through the Florida Workers’ Compensation program help offset losses when work-related injuries or illnesses happen. Most employers are required to provide coverage.

You may be eligible for benefits regardless of whether you work part-time or full-time or how your injuries happened (though there are notable exceptions, such as if you were under the influence at the time). However, not reporting right away can have the following impacts on your claim:

• Employers may dispute whether injuries are work-related.
• The insurer may downplay the severity and impact on the job.
• Key evidence to support your claim, such as surveillance footage, may be lost.
• Witnesses are more likely to forget key details or hesitate to come forward if you wait too long.

What if you completely missed reporting deadlines, and it’s been more than 30 days since your injury happened? Fortunately, there may still be legal options for getting benefits.

Contact Our Experienced Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Today To Request A Consultation

Delays in reporting work-related injuries in South Florida can jeopardize your rights to workers’ compensation. At The Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A., we help injured workers get their claims back on track.

With over 30 years of experience, our Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyer helps you get the benefits you are entitled to and avoid out-of-pocket costs. Call or contact us online to request a consultation in our Sunrise, West Palm Beach, or Fort Lauderdale office today.

Sources:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0440/Sections/0440.185.html

myfloridacfo.com/division/wc