Being injured on the job is a difficult time for an employee. Furthermore, an injury that occurs while working in Florida can be extremely hard if you do not have adequate legal representation. Many laws are designed to not be employee-friendly when you want to receive workers compensation benefits.
For starters, your employer’s insurance company has a right to assign a treating physician to your case. This is an important factor to understand since the doctor’s diagnosis of your injury is crucial to whether you receive the benefits you deserve.
When You Can Change the Treating Physician
The insurance company can choose where you receive treatment for your injury. However, you do have a right to make a one-time change to the workers compensation doctor assigned to your case. In some instances, the insurance company can still select the new doctor.
One exception to this rule is if the insurance company fails to respond to your request for the one-time change. Typically, they have five days before you have the right to select your own doctor.
Types of Workers Compensation Benefits
Benefits that you may receive for workers compensation include medical care, rehabilitation and disability payments to replace lost wages.
Medical care benefits include hospital and other healthcare expenses related to identifying and treating your illness or injury. This portion of benefits generally cover visits to the doctor, medication and surgery, if necessary. Special equipment such as a wheelchair is also covered.
Rehabilitation benefits cover medical and therapeutic care designed to help you recover and cope with the injury you sustained on the job. If your injury or illness has made it difficult to return to work, these benefits may also pay for expenses that will help you qualify for a different job. These may include evaluation, retraining and tuition.
Benefits paid through disability is monetary compensation for wages you lose. You may qualify for one of four types of disability payments: temporary total with the expectation that you will return to work; temporary partial when you cannot perform parts of your job, but will someday; permanent total when you will never return to work; or, permanent partial for a permanent injury, but you can perform some duties.
Contact us today to learn more about your workman’s comp benefits.