What do Workers’ Compensation Benefits Cover?
What is Workers’ Compensation?
If you can’t work, you don’t get paid. Injury or illness that afflicts a person due to a work-related injury, illness, or condition may entitle them to medical benefits and replacement of a portion on the wages they missed while recovering. When you are injured on the job you have the right to be compensated by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
What Costs Does the Program Cover?
Employers’ policies that cover workplace injuries vary under different regulations state by state. In the state of Florida, workers’ comp benefits cover medical expenses. That includes:
- Hospitalizations
- Surgeries
- Doctor visits
- Medical testing
- Therapies
- Prescriptions
Expenses pertaining to traveling to and from treatments and appointments with workers’ comp authorized providers may also be covered. Lost wages, legal fees, and even funeral costs can be covered in fatal work accidents or illnesses. When a life is lost certain family members are eligible for compensation from the deceased person’s employer. A skilled Florida workers’ compensation attorney can help you sort through your employee rights and benefits with compassion and competence.
What is Excluded Under Workers’ Comp?
It is possible to get hurt on the job and not have injuries be covered under the company’s insurance. For instance, if an employee tests positive on a require drug test within 24 hours of the incident.
There are some other exclusions under workers’ compensation which
include mental health issues that are exceptionally difficult to prove
if whether they do or do not stem from the workplace such as:
- Nervousness
- Stress
- Fright
There is also the question of whether a pre-existing condition could be excluded by workers’ comp benefits. In Florida, the court will look at the major contributing causes of the injury to determine whether the work accident or the pre-existing condition is more than 50 percent responsible for the injured person’s current state. If a work injury is more than 50 percent the reason for an inability to work, then it should be covered by the employer’s workers’ compensation policy. These issues are technical and specific and should be addressed by a professional attorney who has a breadth of understanding and experience with workers’ comp cases, including representing the injured in hearings regarding denied claims.
What are Workers’ Rights?
Thousands of workers’ compensation claims are filed every year, but not all are approved. Eligibility for benefits depends on when an employee sustains an injury while performing their duties for work. There are some circumstances where an employee is eligible, but their employer denies a claim simply because they assume the employee will not challenge the denial. You have the right to file a lawsuit if your employer wrongfully denies your workers’ compensation claim. You should reach out to an adept Florida workers’ comp attorney who can help you understand your rights.
Meet with Politis & Matovina, P.A.
Some workers’ compensation claims are straightforward, but others are very complex. To be sure that nothing goes wrong with your claim you should speak with Politis & Matovina, P.A. We have the experience and expertise to assist injured workers to recover benefits. We will evaluate your case and work diligently to maximize your settlement. When you have been hurt at work, you deserve to recover without the added stress of no income and medical bills you can’t afford to pay. Call on advocates who will enable you to move on with your life after you have been injured at work. We are ready to speak with you discuss how we could represent you in a workers’ comp case.
Call (386) 333-6613 today to schedule a consultation.