When Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Benefits Stop Without Warning

You were hurt on the job in Fort Lauderdale and approved for workers’ compensation benefits. However, you check your account on the day payment is supposed to arrive, and nothing is there. No letter, no phone call, no explanation.

If your Florida workers’ compensation benefits stopped without warning, you’re not alone, and you’re not out of options. Insurers don’t always give injured workers advance notice before cutting off payments, and the reasons they use are not always legitimate. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyer explains why benefits stop and what to do next.

Why Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Benefit Payments Stop

If you receive workers’ compensation benefits in Fort Lauderdale, be aware that the Florida Statutes allow insurers to suspend or reduce benefits for certain reasons. These include:

• A physician, often an Independent Medical Exam (IME) doctor hired by the insurer, declares you have reached maximum medical improvement, triggering the end of temporary disability payments.
• The insurer claims you were cleared to return to work, even if your authorized treating physician has not actually released you to full duty.
• Benefits are suspended after a missed medical appointment, even when the absence had a legitimate explanation that was never considered.
• Surveillance footage or social media activity is used to argue that your reported limitations are inconsistent with your actual physical capacity.
• The insurer disputes a new diagnosis or treatment recommendation and stops payment while the dispute is pending.

Under Section 440.20 of the Florida Statutes, insurers who stop benefit payments without proper legal justification may be subject to penalties, but only if the injured worker challenges the decision through the right process.

What To Do If Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Benefits Stop

Just because your Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation benefits stopped, it doesn’t mean you don’t have options. Florida law gives injured workers specific tools to fight back. If you haven’t received a payment or any communication from the insurer, take these steps:

• Request an explanation (in writing) from the insurance company explaining the specific legal basis for the suspension.
• If the suspension is based on an IME finding, get a statement from your treating provider challenging it.
• File a Petition for Benefits through the Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims to dispute the suspension formally.
• Request emergency relief if the suspension has left you without income and unable to pay for essential medical care, as Florida law allows for expedited proceedings in urgent situations.

The longer a payment suspension goes unchallenged, the harder it becomes to recover back payments and reinstate benefits. To protect your rights to these payments, get professional legal help today.

Consult Our Experienced Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Have your Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation benefits stopped, and no one will tell you why? The Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A. may be able to help. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyer finds out the exact reasons, challenges insurers, and fights for the benefits clients deserve. Request a consultation at our Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach office today.

Sources:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0440/Sections/0440.20.html

myfloridacfo.com/division/wc/employee/frequently-asked-questions