Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Benefits

When you get hurt on the job, Florida workers’ compensation benefits are available to help you get the medical care you need and cover your expenses while you are disabled from working. Unfortunately, employers and their workers’ comp insurance carriers try to underpay claims, cut off benefits prematurely, or avoid paying benefits altogether by claiming you don’t qualify for one reason or another.

So, what exactly are you entitled to after a workplace accident in Florida? Read on to learn about lawyer, and contact The Law Offices of David Benenfeld, P.A., for help getting your benefits after an on-the-job injury in Fort Lauderdale, Sunrise or throughout Broward, Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties.

Worker’s Compensation Medical Benefits

Medical benefits pay for all reasonable, authorized medical care, including doctor’s appointments, hospital care, prescription medicines, tests, surgery, physical therapy, prosthetics, attendant care, etc. These benefits should be paid 100% for the entire time you are receiving treatment or under medical care. Mileage reimbursement for your trips to the doctor, PT or rehab, pharmacy, etc. are also included in your medical benefits.

Unfortunately, many features of workers’ compensation in Florida favor the employer over the employee. Regarding medical care, your employer (or their insurance carrier), gets to decide which doctor you see and whether any follow-up treatment will be authorized after your initial visit. Insurance companies and the doctors who work for them may not have your best interests at heart and would rather you receive the cheapest procedures and shortest duration of care, as opposed to more costly or lengthy treatment. If you need to see a specialist, for instance, this may be an area where you need an experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyer working for you and fighting to see you get appropriate care.

Wage Replacement Benefits

Workers’ compensation includes paying a portion of your lost wages for a period while you are out of work. The amount and duration of these benefits depend on your injury. In general, wage replacement falls into the following categories:

Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) – If you are released to work on light duty or restricted duty but at a lower rate of pay under 80% of your regular wages, you can earn up to 104 weeks of TPD benefits.

Temporary Total Disability (TTD) – If you can’t work at all, you can receive two-thirds of your average weekly wage for up to 104 weeks. The amount of your benefit for 2020 is subject to state minimum and maximum amounts of $20 and $971 per week. In some cases of severe injury, workers can collect 80% of their wages for six months.

Permanent Total Disability (PTD) – If your injury is such that you cannot return to work, you can receive PTD benefits indefinitely or until your condition improves enough for you to go back to work.

Impairment Income – If you’ve reached a stage the doctors call “maximum medical improvement” and you still have a disability, you can receive a weekly payment for a set number of weeks. The amount and duration of this benefit are determined according to the disability rating you receive.

Our Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Fights Hard To Get You Your Workers’ Comp Benefits

Employers and their insurance carriers don’t make it easy to get workers’ comp. If they are denying your benefits, terminating them prematurely, or offering a lump sum to settle your claim for less than it’s worth, you need an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer on your side who knows the law and will help you get all the benefits you need and deserve. In Broward, Miami and Palm Beach counties, contact The Law Offices of David Benenfeld, P.A., at (954) 677-0155(954) 677-0155 to schedule a free consultation at our offices in Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale or West Palm Beach.