Workers’ compensation insurance is there for workplace accidents that cause injuries. In 2017, there were 57,080 new workers’ compensation cases in Florida. The most common type of claim is a temporary total disability that keeps an employee from working for a short amount of time. All medical expenses are covered and two-thirds of your pay is awarded for the time you miss from work.
The problems with workers’ compensation comes when an injured person is denied coverage or if they are deemed able to work before they actually are.
Why would someone be denied coverage?
Some injuries are harder to pinpoint on work-related causes, even though they were caused by work. These can include repetitive stress injuries and mental health illnesses.
Repetitive stress injuries happen when an employee performs the same motion over and over again over a period of time, often putting undue pressure on their muscles and bones. The symptoms of these injuries often appear slowly over time. Many times, the insurance company will say that they are not caused by the workplace.
The most common RSI is carpal tunnel syndrome, but there are many others.
Mental health illnesses are often seen in high-stress jobs, but not always the ones you think. Any job has the potential to be a high-stress environment. Often, we see mental health illnesses like depression and anxiety manifest in law enforcement personnel, social workers, firefighters, and other related industries, but management positions can also be high-stress.
You should not be denied workers’ compensation coverage for a mental health illness, as they can be just as damaging as a physical injury.
Your Next Steps
After an injury, immediately report it to your supervisor and seek medical attention. The workers’ compensation process should start quickly.
If your employer is hesitant to help with a workers’ compensation claim, or if you are denied, seek immediate legal assistance. The Dante Law Firm is standing by with workers’ compensation lawyers in Opa-Locka who will fight to get you the compensation you need. We will make sure your medical bills are covered and that you have money for lost income. If someone else’s negligence caused your injury, we will make sure they are held responsible. You can contact us by clicking here or calling 305-949-2526 for a free consultation.
When you go to work each day, you do it because you need to support yourself and your family. Anything that keeps you from working full time can become detrimental to your financial livelihood. The last thing you expect is to be sidelined by a workplace injury, but we know they happen.
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