When you sustain injuries at work, you are usually entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The program offers free treatment for your work-related illness or injury, a partial wage if you cannot work during your recovery, and disability coverage if your injuries leave you permanently impaired. These are valuable benefits, and it is essential to follow the rules to ensure you do not inadvertently weaken or complicate your claim.
You can avoid most problems if you know what to do after a workplace accident in Orlando. If you are unsure about how to proceed, our team of experienced attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright could help. We are the law firm that other lawyers recommend to their friends and family who need accomplished workplace injury lawyers. Most of our cases come from other attorneys who refer their clients to us.
Notify Your Employer
When you suffer injuries at work, you must notify your employer about your accident as quickly as possible. Florida Statute § 440.185 gives you 30 days to provide notification, but there is no reason to wait. Let your employer know as soon as your injuries occur.
If your employer does not give you an incident report to complete, ask for one. It is important that you have written evidence that you reported the incident and how it happened. Keep a copy of the report, and follow up by email to ensure your employer has sent the incident report to its workers’ compensation insurer.
Sometimes, immediate notification is not possible. Your injuries might not be immediately apparent, or you might not connect them to an incident at work until a medical professional asks you what caused them. If you are in this situation, our Orlando attorneys could tell you how to proceed after your accident at work and could help you document the reason for the delay in reporting it.
Comply Carefully With Medical Advice
You should seek medical treatment as quickly as possible after your accident. If you need emergency care, go to the nearest hospital or urgent care center. If you do not, you must seek treatment from a health care provider that your employer or its insurer has approved. Your employer must have a list of approved providers in your area.
Getting prompt medical attention is critical even if you do not think that your injuries are serious. An immediate screening can rule out serious injuries that do not immediately present symptoms and can prevent your condition from worsening. A medical record generated soon after your accident will connect your injuries to the incident and provide support for your workers’ compensation claim.
Carefully follow the advice the medical provider gives you. If your injury does not heal as expected or gets worse, any failure to comply with your doctor’s instructions could lead to a denial of your claim. If you are unhappy with the treatment you are receiving after your employment-related accident, our Orlando attorneys could advise you about what to do next and could help you change medical providers or get a second opinion.
Why Would You Need Our Lawyers?
If your employer has a human resources department, someone in it is probably familiar with the workers’ compensation program and can help you file your claim. You might wonder why you would need to have our attorneys tell you what to do after your job-related accident in Orlando.
Your employer has an interest in keeping medical costs down and getting you back to work as soon as possible. If your injuries are serious or do not heal quickly or completely, disputes may arise. Your doctor may recommend that you return to work before you feel ready. The insurer might deny you a treatment you believe would be helpful. You might receive an impairment rating that underestimates the extent of your disability. The insurer might miscalculate the amount of the indemnity payments you receive.
You can appeal decisions you disagree with, but the process is complicated. Hiring our experienced attorneys could increase the likelihood that you will prevail. Working with our legal professionals could also help you resolve disagreements instead of needing to file a formal appeal.
Call Our Orlando Attorneys To Learn How To Proceed After a Workplace Injury
Knowing what to do after a workplace accident in Orlando can prevent misunderstandings and unnecessary delays in receiving your benefits. However, you might disagree with decisions your employer’s insurer makes about your care.
Our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at The Florida Firm could advocate aggressively on your behalf. Call us today to schedule a free consultation.