Workers’ Comp Benefits for Pre-Existing Condition Aggravation

Don Van Dingenen • February 13, 2020

The  workers’ compensation  system provides benefits to people who have been injured on the job. Although many workers’ compensation claims relate to incidents such as broken bones, machinery accidents, and other singular events, claims can be filed for any injury that is work-related. This includes cases in which a person’s job aggravates a pre-existing condition.

Filing a claim related to a pre-existing condition can be more difficult than a typical workers’ compensation claim. In many of these cases, employers and their insurance companies attempt to downplay the severity of an injury or deny an injury’s work relation because of the association with a pre-existing condition. They may claim that because your injury existed previously, you are lying about its’ work relation to receive benefits.

Conditions worsened by workplace exposure or repeated job duties may qualify as occupational illnesses under Florida workers’ compensation law. An experienced occupational illness lawyer in Orlando can help prove the connection between your work and your condition, challenge employer pushback, and fight for the benefits you deserve.

When facing these hurdles to your workers’ compensation claim, it is important to remember that people whose work aggravated a pre-existing condition are entitled to benefits. You will need to concretely establish the link between your job and the aggravation of the injury — at Van Dingenen Law, our Sanford workers' compensation attorneys can help you do this. We can defend your rights throughout the workers’ compensation claim process and enlist the help of qualified medical experts to demonstrate the occupational link to your employer and their insurance company, if necessary.

Workers’ Compensation Statute of Limitations in Florida

When filing a workers’ compensation claim for a pre-existing condition, it is important to keep the statute of limitations in mind. Work injuries associated with pre-existing conditions are often repetitive strain injuries, or injuries caused by tedious, repeated motion such as typing. Unlike injuries that can be linked to a single incident, the timeline of these types of injuries can rarely be pinpointed.

The statute of limitations on workers’ compensation claims is 2 years following the date of injury. If your injury developed over a long period of time and cannot be linked to a singular accident, the statute of limitations begins once you realize that your job was the cause of your injury. Your employer and their insurance company may attempt to devalue your claim by alleging that you filed it outside of the statute of limitations. Again, the input of a medical expert and the guidance of our skilled legal team can help you establish the timeline of your injury and the viability of your workers’ compensation claim.

The Van Dingenen Law legal team specializes in workers’ compensation law. We are available to discuss your work injury questions during a no-cost case evaluation.

If you are interested in discussing your workers’ compensation case with our lawyers, complete our  contact form   or call (407) 904-6339 to request a free consultation.

The post Workers’ Compensation Benefits for the Aggravation of Pre-Existing Conditions appeared first on Van Dingenen Law.

By Don Van Dingenen • August 24, 2026
Orlando’s economy is often associated with theme parks, hotels, restaurants, retail stores, and office jobs. That image can make workplace injuries seem less common or less serious than accidents in cities dominated by factories, mines, or heavy industry.
By Don Van Dingenen • August 19, 2026
A workplace injury does not need to keep you out of work for weeks before it deserves proper medical attention. You may still need diagnostic testing, physical therapy, specialist care, medication, or work restrictions even when you continue working.
By Don Van Dingenen • August 17, 2026
A mistake in your Florida average weekly wage can reduce every disability payment you receive. Missing overtime, bonuses, tips, second-job income, or certain employer-paid benefits may result in an AWW that is lower than it should be.
Worker in orange hard hat using a tool in a metal workshop
By Don Van Dingenen • August 7, 2026
Florida’s economy depends on people who build homes, move freight, care for patients, serve tourists, maintain roads, harvest crops, and keep stores running. Many of these jobs expose workers to traffic, heights, heavy equipment, violence, extreme heat, electricity, and physical strain.
Blue X-ray of a human forearm, wrist, and hand on a black background
By Don Van Dingenen • August 7, 2026
Florida’s mandatory Broken Arm poster is designed to answer those questions before confusion or delay costs a worker valuable time.
Man in a cap listening in an office meeting, with another person holding papers in the foreground
By Don Van Dingenen • August 7, 2026
Workers’ compensation should provide medical care and financial support after a job-related injury. Yet outdated advice from coworkers, supervisors, and insurers can cause late reports, unauthorized treatment, missing evidence, and lost benefits. Clearing up the most common workers' compensation myths in Florida can he
Person working on a laptop on a leather couch in a sunlit room with bookshelves
By Don Van Dingenen • August 7, 2026
Working from home changes where an employee performs a job, but it does not automatically remove workers’ compensation protection.
Two construction workers in hard hats reviewing a tablet at a job site, one pointing ahead.
By Don Van Dingenen • August 7, 2026
A workplace injury can be frightening for any employee. Still, non-citizen workers often face an additional concern: Will filing a claim expose my immigration status or prevent me from receiving benefits?
Worker in orange safety vest using a phone at a desk with plans, hard hat, and laptop in an office
By Don Van Dingenen • July 15, 2026
The EAO can answer questions, provide information, and try to help resolve certain disputes informally. However, it is not your attorney.
Two workers in yellow hard hats reviewing plans at a construction site
By Don Van Dingenen • July 14, 2026
Florida workers’ compensation may provide wage replacement benefits if an authorized doctor says you cannot work or can only work with restrictions because of a job-related injury.