New Port Richey Workers' Compensation Lawyer

You may be entitled to an award of workers’ compensation benefits if you’ve recently been injured or diagnosed with a work-related illness in New Port Richey, FL. However, getting the maximum payout can be a challenge. 

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers can help. Our New Port Richey workers’ compensation lawyers are ready to help you take on the insurance company and fight for every cent you deserve.

Since 1996, Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers has been a tireless advocate for injured laborers and grieving families in New Port Richey and throughout the greater Tampa Bay area. When you turn to us for help with your claim for workers’ compensation benefits, you’ll put a Board Certified Civil Trial Specialist and a team with 50+ years of combined experience in your corner.

Increase the odds of a meaningful financial recovery by calling our New Port Richey, FL law office for help today at (727) 815-8442. Contact us to start your initial case evaluation is 100 percent free.

How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Recover Maximum Workers’ Compensation Benefits in New Port Richey, FL

How Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers Can Help You Recover Maximum Workers’ Compensation Benefits in New Port Richey, FL

While you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, expect your employer and their insurance company to make the road to recovery a challenge. They might try to misclassify you as a contractor or minimize the seriousness of your injuries. These tactics, if successful, can limit your benefits or prevent a payout altogether.

Our New Port Richey personal injury lawyers can make a difference as you pursue the benefits you deserve.

Count on our award-winning team of Florida litigators to:

  • Help you obtain necessary medical treatment from an approved provider
  • Carefully investigate the circumstances of your workplace accident 
  • Gather medical records, work history, earnings records, and other evidence to support your claim for benefits
  • Obtain an independent medical examination (IME), if necessary
  • Enlist the help of qualified experts and specialists
  • Represent you during all negotiations and hearings throughout the claims process
  • File a petition for benefits with the Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims if your application is denied by the insurance company
  • Advocate for you throughout the appeals process and work to secure a maximum benefits package on your behalf

A work-related injury can affect every aspect of your life. With a limited income – or no income at all – it can be incredibly difficult to make ends meet. Your claim for benefits is critical, and hiring an experienced personal injury attorney near you in New Port Richey can make a huge difference in the outcome. 

When you choose Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, hiring a lawyer doesn’t add to the financial stress you’re under. We work on contingency, so there’s no cost unless we win your claim for workers’ compensation benefits. 

Call our New Port Richey, FL law office to learn more. We’re here to help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Understanding Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance System

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault insurance system that can be beneficial to injured workers and employers in the state of Florida.

Under Florida’s system:

  • Employees who sustain a work-related injury or illness can be eligible for benefits to help offset medical expenses and disability, and
  • Employers are protected from litigation when workers get hurt on the job.

In exchange for an accelerated path to compensation, you’ll waive your right to sue your employer if they contributed to your accident.

How Do I Know if I Qualify for Workers’ Compensation?

In Florida, most private employers are legally required to carry workers’ compensation benefits.

This is true for:

  • Private employers with at least four employees
  • Construction companies with at least one employee, and
  • Agricultural companies with at least six employees.

If your employer carries workers’ compensation, you’ll qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you:

  • Are an employee (full-time, part-time, or seasonal), and
  • Suffer a work-related injury or illness.

An injury or illness is considered work-related if it’s sustained on the clock while you’re carrying out job-related responsibilities or tasks.

Here’s an example. You might qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you’re injured while driving an 18-wheeler for your employer. However, you wouldn’t qualify for benefits if you got into a fender bender in your personal car on your lunch break.

Can I Get Workers’ Compensation Benefits If I’m Partly to Blame For My Workplace Accident?

Yes. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. So, you’re entitled to benefits even if your negligence contributes to your workplace accident in some way. 

Keep in mind that Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule will apply if you seek compensation through a related workplace accident lawsuit. In those cases, your comparative negligence can limit or bar a financial recovery, depending on the degree to which you’re to blame for the accident.

What Types of Workers’ Compensation Benefits Are Available in New Port Richey, Florida?

Florida’s workers’ compensation system provides three categories of benefits: medical, income, and death.

Medical Benefits

Your employer’s insurance company will be responsible for covering the reasonable and necessary costs of medical treatment, including:

  • Hospitalization
  • Surgery
  • Medical devices and equipment
  • Follow-up treatment
  • Chiropractic care
  • Rehabilitation
  • Physical therapy
  • Medication

As long as your provider deems that a treatment is necessary, it should be covered by workers’ compensation. However, keep in mind that you must seek care from a pre-approved provider. You can’t just go to your own doctor. This can, in some cases, limit your ability to control your treatment. 

Income Benefits

Income benefits can be awarded if your injury prevents you from working for more than seven days. Different types of income benefits are available, depending on the seriousness and impact of your injury.

  • Temporary Total Disability (TTD): Available when you are totally disabled and unable to work for a period of time after you get hurt. You can receive two-thirds of your average weekly wage, subject to statutory limits. Benefits can be paid until you reach Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI) or for a duration of 104 weeks, whichever occurs sooner.
  • Temporary Partial Disability (TPD). If you can return to work in a limited capacity, TPD benefits may be available. Benefits equal 80 percent of your average weekly wage, subject to caps.
  • Impairment Income Benefits (IIB). Available if you reach MMI but are diagnosed with an impairment. Benefits depend on your average weekly wage and the impairment rating you receive.
  • Permanent Total Disability (PTD). You can receive two-thirds of your average weekly wage until the age of 75 if you are unable to return to work in any capacity.

For 2023, the maximum average weekly wage that can be used to calculate income benefits is $1,197.

Death Benefits

Surviving spouses and children can be eligible for death benefits if a worker is killed in a job-related accident or dies because of an occupational disease.

Benefits are limited to $150,000 and can include compensation for a funeral (maximum benefit $7,500) and lost wages.

We Handle All Types of Workers’ Compensation Claims in New Port Richey

At Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, our workers’ compensation attorneys in New Port Richey advocate for clients in cases involving:

  • Construction accidents
  • Falls from heights
  • Warehouse accidents
  • Manufacturing accidents
  • Trucking accidents
  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Repetitive motion injuries
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Spinal cord injury
  • Burns
  • Electrocution
  • Amputation
  • Occupational illness or disease, including mesothelioma
  • Exposure to toxic chemicals

Experience matters in these types of often-complex cases. Call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers, and you’ll benefit from 50+ years of combined experience and some of the most respected litigators in the state of Florida. We’ll do everything in our power to help you secure the maximum benefits to which you’re entitled under Florida state law.

How Long Will I Have to File a Claim For Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Florida?

Before you file a claim, you must preserve the right to recover benefits by telling your employer that you’ve been injured on the job.

In Florida, you have 30 days to notify your employer of your work-related accident or injury.

As long as you’ve provided notice, you’ll be able to request benefits within two years of the date of your workplace accident or the date you’re diagnosed with an illness or disease.

The two-year statute of limitations also applies to workers’ compensation claims involving death benefits.

The workers’ compensation claims process can be complicated and stressful. Don’t lose out on the right to get the money you need by letting the deadline pass by. Call Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers for help right away.

Schedule a Free Consultation With Our Trusted New Port Richey Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

Workers’ compensation benefits can help to offset the considerable financial burdens and stresses associated with a work-related injury in New Port Richey. Make the most of your fight for benefits by putting our experienced New Port Richey workers’ compensation attorneys on your team.

Roman Austin Personal Injury Lawyers provides top-tier legal representation to injured workers and grieving families in New Port Richey. Through tireless advocacy for our clients, we’ve won well over $120 million in compensation.

Call our law office in New Port Richey, FL to get started. Your first consultation is free.

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