Workers’ compensation can be critically important for Florida workers who have been injured on the job. These payments cover lost wages and medical treatment when an employee is unable to work due to an accident or injury. Workers’ compensation can also cover funeral costs when a worker is killed due to an on-the-job-incident. Most workers’ compensation benefits go to cover medical costs, including emergency care, testing, ongoing treatment and health care transportation. In some cases, workers may be directed to go first to a specific list of doctors for non-emergency care.
Lost wages are another major factor for injured workers. When workers are hurt so badly that they are unable to work, the lost income may affect their ability to pay bills. Workers’ compensation payments do not cover the full cost of an injured workers’ wages. However, they can help by providing up to 66% of lost wages while the worker is injured. In Florida and 48 other states, companies must carry workers’ compensation insurance to cover these costs in case of an injury. While workers’ comp laws vary from state to state, they are backed up by federal legislation that has been in force for over a century to mandate employer liability.
Companies pay insurance premiums for every employee they hire, and the cost of the necessary insurance varies with the level of risk associated with the job. It is often strongly disparate with salary. Executives and software developers bringing in high salaries may create lower workers’ comp obligations while construction laborers or landscapers have a higher obligation.
When workers are injured on the job, they may face serious consequences that affect both their health and their livelihood. In some cases, these injuries are exacerbated by serious safety violations. A workers’ compensation attorney may help injured workers to protect their rights and seek the benefits they deserve.
