Experiencing an injury at work can be stressful, traumatic, and painful. You may be unsure of your best steps moving forward. If you’re like many Florida employees, you may be tempted to sweep the injury under the rug and pretend it didn’t happen. 

However, most employers in St. Lucie County are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance, and you can use these benefits to cover your medical expenses and related costs. Our workers’ compensation lawyers in St. Lucie County, FL, can help you navigate workers’ comp and move forward from your injuries. 

Workers’ Compensation: The Basics

Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance coverage employers obtain to cover workplace injuries. In Florida, most employers with at least four employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance. While some exceptions exist, your employer is likely legally required to offer workers’ comp benefits. 

You can qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you experienced an injury or illness within the scope of your regular job duties. You may be eligible if your injury happened:

• At your workplace
• While driving a work vehicle to a job site
• While running errands at your employer’s request
• At a customer’s home

You can qualify for workers’ compensation even if the accident was technically your fault. 

Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Florida

If you experienced an injury at work, you can take these steps to seek workers’ compensation benefits:

1. Record the details of the accident, including what happened, when it happened, who saw it, what you were doing, and any other relevant information. 
2. Seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Doing so can ensure that you do not overlook serious injuries and create medical documentation to give to the insurance company. 
3. Report the injury to your employer as soon as you can. Your employer may contact their workers’ compensation insurance company on your behalf, or you can contact the insurer directly. 
4. Follow up with the insurance company to ensure that your employer reported the claim. You may need to provide additional details about the accident. 

What To Do if The Insurance Company Denies Your Claim

If the insurance company has denied your workers’ compensation claim, don’t worry — all is not lost. You can file an appeal for the insurer to reconsider your claim. 

Your workers’ compensation lawyers in St. Lucie County, FL, can help you file your appeal. You may need to file a petition of benefits with the Office of Judges of Compensation Claims (OJCC). If the insurer refuses to budge, a judge may order mediation or make a decision on behalf of both parties. 

Contact our St. Lucie County Workers’ Comp Lawyers Today

Navigating workers’ compensation claims can be challenging whether your employer is cooperating or not. At Zweben Law Group, we have plenty of experience helping injured workers receive adequate workers’ comp benefits.

Contact us today at 772-223-5454 to schedule your free case evaluation.