Out-Of-State Workplace Accident: What You Should Know
For many workers in South Florida, job sites—even if they are out of town and require some travel—are still located within the state of Florida. As such, most injured workers do not run into the problem of seeking workers’ compensation benefits in Florida for injuries that occur in another state. Yet there are certainly some workers who are employed in Florida, and live in Florida, but sustain injuries while working for that Florida employer in another state. These kinds of out-of-state injuries can be particularly stressful for workers who are concerned that they will not be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits since they got hurt in another state. Our South Florida workers’ compensation attorneys want to assure you that most workers in these situations are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. To be sure, even if an injury occurs on a job site that is in another state, you can certainly be eligible for workers’ compensation payments.
Requirements for Workers’ Compensation When an Injury Occurs Out of State
If you work for a Florida employer and perform some of your work outside the state of Florida, it is critical to know that you can be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits through the Florida system even if your injury occurred in another state.
An injured employee’s workers’ compensation benefits will only be reduced because of an out-of-state injury, according to the statute, if the injured worker obtains compensation through another state (i.e., the state in which the injury occurred). To be clear, then, in order to be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits in Florida for a work injury that happened in another state, only one of the following two things must be true:
- Contract for the employment was made in Florida; or
- Employment was principally localized in Florida.
Even if you work outside the state of Florida in large part but the contract for your employment was made in Florida, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits in Florida resulting from an out-of-state work injury. Or, as the statute clarifies, even if you work for a business that has some locations outside the state of Florida and your contract for employment occurred in another state, you may be eligible for Florida workers’ compensation benefits if most of the work you do occurs in the state of Florida.
Contact a West Palm Beach Workers’ Compensation Attorney for Help
If you got hurt on the job outside the state of Florida but believe you may be eligible for compensation through the Florida workers’ compensation system, you should seek advice as soon as you can from an experienced West Palm Beach workers’ compensation lawyer. It is important to get in touch with a lawyer soon in order to receive timely benefits. Contact the Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A. for more information about how our firm can assist you.
