Winter Park Workers Compensation Lawyer

Workers in Winter Park, Florida, and throughout the state are at risk of getting injured on the job. Statewide, more than 50,000 workers suffer from workplace injuries each year. In Orange County alone, nearly 6,000 workers per year suffer injuries while working. Many of these injuries are serious. Even those that are relatively mild may cause difficult financial, physical, and emotional problems.

Florida’s workers compensation insurance provides relief to workers who were injured on the job. Under Florida law, you have the right to receive benefits that will pay for your injury-related medical expenses and, while you are unable to return to work, part of your wages. You have the right to receive these benefits no matter who was at fault for the accident.

Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to navigate the workers compensation system. Many workers have problems getting their claims approved or receiving the full benefit amounts they deserve.

An experienced workers comp attorney can help. At Van Dingenen Law, workers compensation is all that we do. We have more than 60 years of experience and have won hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients. Call us at 407-967-5377 or submit the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on this page to get help from an experienced Winter Park workers comp lawyer.

DO ALL WINTER PARK EMPLOYERS HAVE WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE?

Most employers in Florida, including in Winter Park, are required by law to carry workers compensation insurance to provide financial protection for their injured workers. There are a few exceptions, but chances are that you will be covered. If you have any questions, or if your employer claims that it is not required to carry workers compensation insurance, feel free to call us at 407-967-5377 to find out more.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A WINTER PARK WORKERS COMPENSATION CLAIM AND A PERSONAL INJURY LAWSUIT?

Both the workers compensation system and a personal injury lawsuit are ways for injured people to get compensation for their injuries. However, there are some important differences:

Workers compensation benefits are available only for workers who were injured while they were on the job. Personal injury lawsuits are generally for accidents that did not take place in the workplace. In certain circumstances, personal injury lawsuits may also be filed for workplace injuries.

To win a personal injury lawsuit, you have to prove that someone else caused the accident because they were negligent. It’s easier to get workers compensation because you are entitled to receive it whether or not your employer was at fault.

Workers compensation benefits provide payments for your medical care and a percentage of your lost income. A personal injury lawsuit, but not workers compensation, may additionally provide compensation for what are called “non-economic damages,” which include pain, physical and mental suffering, and quality-of-life losses.

WORKERS COMPENSATION MEDICAL AND WAGE REPLACEMENT BENEFITS IN WINTER PARK

If your workers compensation claim gets approved, you will receive payments for your injury-related medical care and services. Eligible services include doctor visits, hospital stays, medication, testing, physical therapy, assistive devices, and expenses for traveling to receive care.

You will also be eligible to receive part of the income you lose because you are unable to work. In general, this will be two-thirds of your income before your injury, but not more than the average wage in Florida.

There are several types of benefits you may receive. Temporary total benefits apply if you are unable to return to work. Temporary partial benefits are for when you can return to work but have restrictions and earn less than 80 percent of your previous wages. These are available for up to 104 weeks.

If you continue to have impairments after you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI), you will be eligible for permanent impairment benefits. If you are totally and permanently disabled, you will receive permanent total benefits. If you pass away from your injuries, death benefits will cover your funeral expenses and benefits for your dependents.

An experienced Van Dingenen Law Winter Park workers compensation lawyer and our highly skilled and dedicated team members can help you get all the benefits that you are entitled to receive for your work-related injuries or illness.

WHAT ARE COMMON WORKPLACE INJURIES IN FLORIDA?

There are more than 50,000 non-fatal injuries and illnesses annually in Florida. Building and cleaning workers had the most non-fatal injuries and illnesses that required time off from work, followed by truck drivers, laborers, and nurses and home health aides.

In a recent year, 315 workers lost their lives because of workplace accidents and illnesses in Florida. A higher percentage of workers in Florida, compared to workers throughout the United States, were fatally injured or sickened by falling or by exposure to toxic substances. The construction industry had the highest number of fatal accidents, followed by transportation and warehousing.

If you run into problems filing a workers compensation claim, or if you are not receiving all the benefits that you are entitled to, you should get help from an experienced workers comp attorney. The Winter Park Van Dingenen legal team can answer your questions, resolve problems you have with the system, and fight to ensure you get the full benefits available for you under Florida law.

WHEN DO I NEED A WINTER PARK WORKERS COMPENSATION LAWYER?

You are allowed to file a claim on your own without working with an attorney. However, when you hire an experienced workers comp lawyer, you can greatly increase your chances of getting approved in a reasonable amount of time. You should also consult a Winter Park workers comp attorney if any of these issues arise:

• Your employer retaliates against you for filing the claim.
• Your employer disputes your claim.
• Your claim is denied.
• You want to file an appeal.
• You do not receive benefits even though the waiting period is over.
• The settlement amount is lower than it should be.
• You are permanently disabled.
• A third party was involved in the accident.

HOW A WINTER PARK WORKERS COMPENSATION LAWYER AT VAN DINGENEN LAW CAN HELP YOU

Although Florida law gives you the right to receive workers compensation benefits for workplace injuries and illnesses, many workers run into obstacles when they try to file a claim. Workers compensation insurance companies may try to avoid paying claims by making the claims process overly complicated, paying too little, unfairly denying claims, or delaying the process.

When you have a Winter Park Van Dingenen workers comp lawyer fighting on your side, you make the playing field even. We provide the legal guidance and advice you need to navigate the workers compensation system and achieve the fair result that you need. Our law firm has been helping injured workers in Florida for more than 60 years, and workers compensation law is all that we do.

To get started, call us today at 407-976-5377 or submit the FREE CASE EVALUATION form on our website.