Guide to Finding Florida Workers Compensation Lawyer

What is a Florida Workers Compensation Lawyer?

A Florida workers’ compensation lawyer is a qualified attorney who practices in the state of Florida and specializes in work-related accidents or diseases. The job of such an attorney may include advising a client on what paperwork needs turned in, notifying a client on specific medical and insurance procedures to undergo, and/or fighting to see the rights of his or her client fulfilled if their compensations is first denied. Florida workers’ compensation closely reflects the statutes of other states, but some changes have recently occurred within the state’s law.

How Can I find a well known FL Workers Compensation Lawyer?

There are many ways to go about finding an appropriate Florida workers compensation lawyer, and there are many times to consider looking into lawyers as well. If you work in a manual labor industry with significant risk for injury, it’s never a bad idea to have the contact information of a Florida workers compensation lawyer just in case. Some lawyers will advertise their services and build up a reserve of workers just in case anyone becomes injured on the job. As a result, the worker has a direct and easy source, and the FL workers compensation lawyer has a client right away.

If you are injured or just looking for a Florida workers compensation lawyer, there are numerous places to look and ask around:

1) Friends within the workplace or people of the surrounding community usually serve as great initial source in finding a good Florida workers compensation lawyer. You may want to ask your friends and community members a variety of questions as well:

• Did your lawyer work with your employer in a polite and efficient manner?

• Did your attorney in Florida provide all the necessary data as far as paperwork, medical expenses and procedures, and payment schedules?

• Was your lawyer knowledgeable of any changes within Florida statute in the recent years?

• If you had problems filing for your workers’ compensation, was your lawyer confident in taking a case to trial?

2) There are a number of lawyer associations around the state of Florida, and each source provides information on finding an appropriate FL workers compensation lawyer for your case. Below is a list of some attorney associations that may prove beneficial:

• Florida State Bar

• Workers’ Compensation Section of Florida Bar

• Florida Justice Association

• Florida Association for Women Lawyers

• Florida’s official, statewide and local lawyer referral service

3) This website also provides a good starting point when trying to find a FL workers compensation lawyer. If you want to find a specific law that may relate to your case or work environment, you can simply type in the “search tab” at the top of the homepage. Also, you can also scroll down to the bottom of the homepage and click on the Fl state tab. You can also ask free questions and have them answered by Florida workers compensation lawyer who may be interested and willing to help in your case.

Have any significant changes occurred within Florida state law recently?

The answer is yes, and the law has just become active on January 1st of 2012. The law applies to a variety of parties and employers, so it is essential that all citizens within the state of FL become aware of new changes to the law. As of the first day of the year 2012, all Florida Workers’ Compensation insurance carriers, self-insured employers and third-party administrators should regard and mandate the revised statute of Section 440.12(2).

Previously, the statute stated that statewide average weekly wage paid to qualified workers should be $802.56 for the four monthly quarters as of June 30, 2011. Since all payments must be adjusted to the nearest dollar, the maximum monthly payment for workers’ compensation within the state of Florida is now $803.00.

Please note that the above figures are for the maximum amount of payment an employee can receive. You may be entitled to fewer wages depending on your type of job.

If I’m an employer, should I have a lawyer who specializes in Workers’ Compensation?

If you’re an employer with more than four employees in the state of Florida, it’s never a bad idea to maintain a client relationship with a workers’ compensation attorney. Depending on the type law, a WC attorney may choose to defend or represent an employer plaintiff within a given case. Employers are entitled to justice just as much as employees. Sadly, employees may sometimes try to take advantage of an employer, so it is a good idea to hire a FL attorney who specializes in workers’ compensation law.

What can a FL Workers Compensation Lawyer help an employer with?

There are a number of situations and cases a Florida attorney can help an employer with, and only some of the following categories may apply:

1) Injuries covered and not covered by insurance- almost all injuries and diseases are covered by FL law, and even the death of an employee entitles a family to compensation within the state. However, certain injuries, diseases, and conditions don’t entitle an employee to receive compensation:

• A mental injury due to stress or excitement

• A work related condition that causes an employee to fear or dislike another employee because of their race, color, sex, sexual orientation, nationality, age, and etc.

• “Pain and suffering” is not a condition in which an employee can receive compensation because the litigation must be handled separately from a workers’ compensation case

• The willful intention of an employee to hurt himself or herself

• A work-related accident due to the influence of drugs or alcohol

• If the injury is covered by the Federal Employer’s Liability Act, the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, or the Jones Act

There are a number of other conditions you may want to discuss with a Florida workers compensation lawyer if you are an employer. There are a number of benefits to advertising yourself as a “drug-free workplace” within Florida for example.