St. Petersburg Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
If your employer carries workers’ compensation insurance coverage for you and your coworkers, that coverage should provide you with medical care and money for the financial losses you may suffer after getting injured or becoming ill due to your job duties. Getting all the benefits you are entitled to from a workers’ comp claim can be a complex process, especially if you try to go through that claims process without an attorney.
Support from a St. Petersburg workers’ compensation lawyer will make a massive difference in obtaining a favorable result from your injuries and getting the medical benefits and lost wages you need and are entitled to. From initial reporting requirements to negotiations with insurance representatives, your dedicated workplace injury attorney will protect your rights and defend your best interests throughout every stage of this process.
Basic Rules For Workers’ Comp In St. Petersburg
Under Florida state law, most businesses with at least four part-time and/or full-time employees are required to purchase and maintain workers’ compensation insurance for all their employees, with some limited exceptions.
Anyone who wants to file a workers’ comp claim after getting hurt or sick on the job must first notify their employer of their accident or illness within 30 days after they know of their injury or become aware of their injury. The employer should then provide a First Report of Injury or Illness form to the injured worker to fill out, which the employer must submit to their workers’ comp insurance provider within seven days of receiving the completed form from their employee. If an employer fails to submit this form, it can lead to a delay in medical and lost wage benefits for the injured worker. A St. Petersburg workers’ compensation attorney will help get medical care and lost wages started if the employer fails or refuses to notify the insurance company.
What Benefits Could Be Available?
An injured or sick worker in St. Petersburg should be provided with medical care at no expense to the injured worker. The injured worker, in most instances, should be able to get reimbursement for all medical expenses paid out of pocket related to the reasonably necessary medical treatment they need for their injury or illness, as determined by their physician. If their injury or illness keeps them out of work for more than seven days, they may also be eligible for lost wages, usually equal to two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage prior to getting hurt or sick.
Various other benefits like job retraining services and reimbursement for travel expenses related to medical care may be available, and in the event a work-related injury or illness has fatal repercussions, surviving family members of the decedent may be eligible for death benefits. An experienced workers’ comp lawyer in St. Petersburg will go into more detail about potential benefits for a particular claimant during a private initial consultation.
Seek Help From A St. Petersburg Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Even though your employer is supposed to cover all your medical bills and your lost wages, your employer and their insurer may have very different views about how bad your injuries really are and what sorts of treatment they should actually pay for. Many times, they deny claims, lost wages, or medical care unlawfully.
Because of this, having help from a seasoned St. Petersburg workers’ compensation lawyer can be crucial to getting every benefit you deserve because of your on-the-job injury or illness. Call today to learn more.