The workplace can be a dangerous place where accidents frequently happen. While most employers in Fort Pierce, FL, must carry workers’ compensation coverage, you are not necessarily guaranteed benefits if you suffer from a mishap on the job.
If you suffered an injury in a workplace incident, the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can offer you a free case review. A Fort Pierce workers’ compensation lawyer is ready to help.
We Handle All Types of Fort Pierce, FL, Workers’ Compensation Cases
According to the Florida Department of Financial Services, there were 784 workers’ compensation claims filed in St. Lucie County in 2021, with benefits averaging nearly $28,000 per claim. If you suffered an injury on the job at the Amazon distribution center, Lawnwood Regional Medical Center, or any other large or small employer in Fort Pierce, our attorneys can help.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine realizes that workplace injuries happen across all industries, which is why we are ready to work with you, regardless of your profession, to recover the workers’ compensation benefits owed to you. Our team frequently works with work-related injuries such as:
- Burns, fractures, and joint/ligament damage
- Work-related vehicle accidents
- Workplace slip and falls and falls from heights
- Struck by/against injuries
- Head injuries and traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)
- Illnesses resulting from exposures to toxins
- Injuries from repetitive motions or actions, such as tendonitis or hearing loss
Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine today, and we can get started on the road to recovery of the benefits you deserve. Our injury lawyers stay by your side and fight on your behalf from day one.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Workers’ compensation protects you and your family from financial hardship when you suffer an injury on the job. Workers’ compensation insurance (which most Florida employers must provide) offers payments for medical care, lost wages, and more. Your workers’ compensation lawyer from our team can fight for benefits, including:
- Medical care – doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, testing, hospitalization, and any other necessary past or future medical treatment related to your workplace injury.
- Rehabilitative care – physical therapy, long-term or in-home health care services, or other similar recuperative visits.
- Disability coverage – temporary partial and total disability coverage options (usually two-thirds of your regular wage), as well as permanent disability benefits, if eligible.
- Reemployment services – help with finding other employment through your local Employee Assistance Office (EAO) if your injury prevents you from returning to your previous line of work.
- Death benefits – compensation for the loss of a loved one due to a workplace accident, funeral and burial expenses, and job-training services for eligible surviving spouses.
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Navigating Workers’ Compensation
Most employers in Florida must provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees so that they have coverage if and when an injury occurs. This coverage is no-fault, which means that you do not need to show any party was at fault or acted negligently. You simply need proof that you suffered your injuries on the job.
In Florida, you have 30 days to document your accident, according to Florida Statutes § 440.185. If you fail to do so, you may forfeit your right to seek benefits. To document your accident, you should provide your employer with the following information:
- Cause and location of the accident;
- Time and date of the accident; and
- Names of any witnesses.
With your initial report complete, you will then need to participate in an independent medical examination, wherein an approved medical professional will examine you and ascertain the extent of your injuries. Your employer’s insurance provider will use these examinations as a key assessment tool in determining the benefits you qualify for.
Our team can help you gather additional evidence to prove that your injury happened on the job and show the extent of your covered damages, including:
- Eyewitness testimony
- Photographs of your injury and the scene of your accident
- Expert testimony regarding the severity of your injury, expected future medical treatment, and length of your recovery
- Surveillance or cell phone footage of your accident
- Workplace safety, inspection, and accident reports
- Medical bills
- Pay stubs
Workers’ Compensation Appeals
Our Fort Pierce workers’ compensation attorneys can guide you through the entire process of filing for workers’ compensation claims, but our services and experience become particularly important when the insurance company limits or denies a claim.
Insurance companies act in their best interest, so they often reduce or refuse claims if they feel they have proof that your claim is unfounded or inaccurate. For example, insurance providers might argue that:
- Your injury did not occur on the job/was not work-related;
- Your injury was due to a pre-existing condition;
- You were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time of your accident;
- Your injury is due to your own gross negligence or intentional misconduct; or
- You are fraudulently filing for benefits.
If your benefits claim is inaccurately limited or denied, a workers’ compensation attorney in Fort Pierce, FL, from the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine can get to work on the appeals process. In addition to navigating the process with you and aiding the development of your appeal, our team can represent you at your appeals hearing.
We build these appeals by pulling together substantial documentation that showcases why you deserve your requested workers’ compensation benefits. These documents might include:
- A recounting of the accident details;
- Available witness statements;
- Doctor’s reports or medical records that outline your injuries; and
- Opinions from medical experts as to your abilities to continue to work.
Workers’ Compensation Lawsuits
Workers’ compensation aims to cut down on lawsuits and provide benefits to the injured more quickly than they would receive them by taking legal action. Therefore, the workers’ compensation system bars you from suing your employer. However, you may have a claim against a third party (such as a job-site owner or equipment supplier) or an insurance company acting in bad faith.
We will investigate your workplace injury and determine if you have grounds for a claim or lawsuit against an at-fault party. With a liability claim or legal action, you may be able to recoup certain damages not recoverable through workers’ compensation, including:
- Pain and suffering – monetary recovery for physical pain, depression, anxiety, scarring, disfigurement, and quality of life reductions.
- Miscellaneous expenses – damaged property, the value of household services (cleaning, yard work, etc.), and necessary vehicle or home modifications.
- Wrongful death awards – surviving family members’ mental pain and suffering, loss of consortium, and loss of parental guidance.
If you seek awards with a third-party lawsuit, you generally have four years to sue for personal injury and two years from your loved one’s passing to file a wrongful death case, according to Florida Statutes § 95.11. Do not wait too long to take action.
Call a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Fort Pierce Committed to You
Do not struggle when recovering from a workplace injury by trying to navigate the workers’ compensation claims process on your own. At the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine, we will handle every aspect of your workers’ compensation claim with your best interests in mind. This translates into a client experience enriched with:
Efficiency
We know that every moment counts when you have an injury and need to recover. We commit to building the best possible case to fight or appeal for your benefits, but we also work as quickly as possible to get you compensation.
Frequent Communication
We establish an open line of communication with all our clients and promise to keep them updated and answer any questions as the process progresses. In fact, we give our clients their attorney’s personal cell phone number so they can contact them whenever they need to.
Preservation of Your Legal Rights
By acting as your legal advocate liaising between lawyers, insurance companies, witnesses, and other parties, we always keep your best interests in mind. This means that you can focus on your recovery while the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine takes care of the rest.
Bring Us Your Fort Pierce, FL, Workers’ Compensation Case Today
When you suffer an injury, the compensation clock is ticking: beyond the 30-day window to report workplace accidents to an employer, the Florida statute of limitations allows only two years following the accident to file for workers’ compensation benefits, according to Florida Statutes § 440.19.
The Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine wants to work with you to get you the benefits you deserve so that you can recuperate and get your life back on track, but we can only start once we hear from you. Call the Law Offices of Anidjar & Levine for a free, no-obligation case review. We work on contingency, which means our services cost you nothing up front or out of pocket.
