Florida Workers’ Compensation Disability Benefits
What you need to know.
After an illness or injury at work, workers’ compensation is supposed to provide medical care and disability income to help you recover and get back to work.
With more than 18 years of experience, the Law Office of Christopher J. Annis, LLC can help you understand what disability benefits you are entitled to.
Is workers’ comp required to pay me?
The workers’ compensation system is set up to help workers injured on the job in the state of Florida. Workers’ compensation is supposed to pay you disability benefits if your authorized workers’ comp doctor says that you are unable to return to work because of your injury.
If you cannot work as a result of your work-related injury, the loss of income can be devastating. Under the Florida workers’ compensation law, you are required to be compensated for this loss of income.
Disability benefits are essential if you are unable to work as a result of a work injury. There are several different classifications of disability benefits to which you may be entitled based on your level of disability.
Types of disability benefits include the following:
- Temporary Total Disability. If your doctor says you can’t work, you are entitled to temporary total disability. After you have been out of work for seven days, you should be paid 66 2/3 percent of what you made before you were hurt.
- Temporary Partial Disability. If your doctor says you can work light duty, but your employer has no work available within your restrictions, you are entitled to temporary partial disability. Temporary partial pays slightly less than temporary total (64%). You may also be entitled to some temporary partial if your employer has some light duty available, but not enough hours or work to match what you were getting before your accident.
- Impairment Benefits. If your doctor states that you have a permanent impairment after you have attained your maximum medical improvement (MMI), you may be eligible for impairment benefits (IBs) based on your permanent impairment rating. IBs typically don’t amount to much, but you are still entitled to them and need to ensure that workers’ comp pays them.
- Permanent Total Disability. If you are permanently unable to go back to work in any capacity, you may be entitled to permanent total disability. Permanent total disability pays 66 2/3 percent of your pre-accident earnings for life, with an annual cost of living increase. If you think you have a permanent total disability, it is vital to obtain legal representation. Insurance companies are very reluctant to pay permanent total disability because of the enormous cost and will almost certainly fight you on it.
- Rehabilitation Benefits. The State of Florida has a vocational rehabilitation program to help injured workers retrain to do a new job, if they are unable to return to their old job due to injury. If the state accepts you for this program, workers’ comp will be required to pay you while you retrain.
Mr. Annis is a workers’ compensation lawyer who is fully committed to helping you win your lost wage claim. With 18 years of successful experience, the Law Office of Christopher J. Annis, LLC helps injured clients obtain the benefits they deserve.
Legal Assistance with Workers Compensation Benefits in Florida
If you are injured on the job, the Law Office of Christopher J. Annis, LLC offers excellent client and legal service.
Contact the Law Office of Christopher J. Annis, LLC online or call 352-264-1910 for a consultation. We offer evening and weekend appointments when needed at our office convenient to Alachua County, Columbia County and the surrounding areas.
