If you put in the hours and work for your business, you deserve fair wages, fair hours, and fair compensation if you get hurt while on the job. While Florida job injury laws allow people to recoup the costs of medical care, lost earnings, and other expenditures, sometimes people find it challenging to secure these fault-free benefits. If you need help identifying what types of assistance you may be able to get—and how to do so—consider getting in touch with an attorney with the time, attention, and work ethic to help you reach your goals.
Our team of seasoned legal professionals provides tireless support to those seeking workers’ compensation benefits in Pensacola. At Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon, we understand how critical it is for you to receive a full and fair settlement after an unexpected health issue comes up because of what you do for a living. Our dedicated workers’ comp attorneys are prepared to put in the effort and negotiation skills necessary to help you access the comprehensive payments you may be entitled to so you can begin to heal.
Who Qualifies for Workers’ Comp Benefits?
As Florida Statutes § 440.10 describes, you may be eligible to receive a financial award if you sustained an injury in an accident during or because of exposure from work. For example, if you were in an auto wreck while on your way to and from job sites, your employer’s insurance company may have to cover your losses. Likewise, if you acquire carpal tunnel syndrome from excessive typing on the job, this may also qualify you for benefits.
Another factor in determining if you are eligible for a settlement is your relationship with your employer and what their industry and size are. Florida law requires most—but not all—employers with regular employees to carry a job injury insurance policy to support workers harmed while doing tasks for their companies. Among other things, a qualifying worker is one who is properly classified as an employee (rather than an independent contractor).
Something to keep in mind is that just because your employer says you are a freelance worker does not mean that is what the law would say. In other words, the courts look at the relationship someone has with a company to determine whether they qualify for Pensacola workers’ comp benefits, rather than depending on the employers—who have a financial interest in misclassifying people—to provide this information. A skilled legal advocate at Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon can help you understand what you might be entitled to and how to go about demanding it, even if your employer or their insurer wrongly denies your claim.
What Types of Compensation Can You Get for a Work Injury?
When you have a job-related condition, getting the financial support you deserve is more than a luxury—oftentimes, it is a necessity. Depending on your situation, you may be eligible to receive a range of benefits, including disability (e.g., wage loss) payments and reimbursement for your injury-related healthcare costs. The length of time you continue to get these may change based on how much and how long your disability impacts your ability to function.
Fla. Stat. § 440.15 outlines some types of wage loss payments you may receive during the recovery process. For example, temporary total disability may be available to you when you first injure yourself and are temporarily unable to do any sort of work. If your condition worsens, however, or you experience a catastrophic loss—such as a spinal cord injury—a permanent partial or total disability settlement may be appropriate.
Under Fla. Stat. § 440.16, death benefits may be available to qualifying surviving family members of a worker who dies from their job-related wounds. The process of requesting and negotiating benefits in a Pensacola workers’ comp claim can feel overwhelming, so you may find it useful to collaborate with an experienced team of professionals who can guide and support you on this journey by providing targeted and agile advocacy.
Call a Workers’ Compensation Attorney for Help Understanding Benefits in Pensacola
Being unable to earn a living because of an employment-related condition can feel disempowering and frustrating, causing you to worry about what will happen next. Fortunately, the work injury insurance system is available to help you access the resources you deserve to ensure you have what you need to support yourself and your family while you heal.
Instead of navigating the process of claiming these entitlements by yourself, think about the advantages and potential relief you may experience by handing over the responsibility to a legal team you can trust. If you have questions about your right to receive workers’ compensation benefits in Pensacola and how to request them, reach out to Emmanuel Sheppard & Condon to schedule a no-obligation consultation.
