In the immediate aftermath of an on-the-job injury in Florida, injured workers probably all ask themselves the same question: What do I do now? Fortunately, most workers in the state are covered by their employers’ workers’ compensation insurance. So, if they are injured on-the-job, typically their medical costs are covered and they may also be eligible to receive some of their lost wages from time away from work due to the injury.
General information about workers’ compensation
Although the basic information about the workers’ compensation system in Florida is probably posted somewhere at your workplace, or is easily attained by contacting your human resources department, the fact is that most people simply do not have experience with workplace injuries and how to follow up with a workers’ compensation claim.
Obviously, the first step after suffering an on-the-job injury is to seek medical treatment, especially if emergency treatment is required. For non-emergency injuries, be sure to coordinate with your employer on where you should go to receive medical care.
Reporting your on-the-job injury to your employer is crucial. Failure to do so may prevent a workers’ compensation claim from being processed. Once you report your injury to your employer, your employer will in turn report it to their insurance company. From there, all authorized medical bills should be covered in full by the insurance company.
For longer term recovery periods from more serious injuries, injured workers may also receive some portion of their lost wages. However, more details about the injury and the expected recovery time are usually needed to make a determination about paying out lost wages.