Common Mistakes Made In Florida Workers’ Compensation Cases

Workers’ compensation benefits are an institution in Florida, helping injured workers get back on their feet after an accident on the job. However, a person must follow procedure correctly in order to obtain those benefits, and unfortunately, many make serious enough mistakes that result in their claims being denied. Some of the most common, fortunately, can be easily avoided with the right legal help on your side.

Notifying Your Employer Too Late 

Depending on the nature of an injury, and the context in which it happened, some employees may try to conceal getting hurt at work for a variety of reasons. In Florida, a work injury must be reported to the employer within 30 days of its happening (or within 30 days of diagnosis of an occupational disease), or the injured employee is not entitled to benefits.

Not Immediately Seeking Medical Attention

Many of us have been brought up to ‘power through’ injuries we do not see as serious – but with a work injury, the sooner one seeks medical help, the better. There are many reasons for this – not least of all because getting a snapshot of the state of an injury immediately after it happens can make a difference in terms of the benefits a worker can receive. A half-healed broken bone, for example, is not viewed as such a serious injury when compared with a recent full fracture.

Divulging Too Much On Social Media

If you are seeking workers’ compensation benefits after being hurt at work, it is not generally in your best interests to be posting photos and videos on social media that show you engaged in strenuous activity. Regardless of whether or not you can actually do these activities, it can make it all too easy for your employer (or their insurer) to accuse you of benefits fraud.

Contact An Orlando Workers’ Compensation Attorney

It can feel overwhelming to suddenly have to seek benefits for an injury you did not expect to sustain. It can be all too easy to make mistakes during the legal process, but an Orlando workers’ compensation attorney from the Hornsby Law Group can ensure that the little details are handled when you make your claim. Call our office today at (407) 499-8887 to schedule a consultation.

Source:

leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0440/Sections/0440.185.html