If you are not able to work due to an injury or an illness, you are most likely consumed with fear, dread, and maybe even feelings of failure. If you are the “breadwinner” in the family, no longer being able to provide for your family can be absolutely terrifying. The Workers’ Compensation attorneys at The Cochran Firm South Florida know full well the anxiety and fear that not being able to work can cause. Our Broward County workers' compensation lawyers have helped countless Floridians throughout South Florida, including Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and the Gulf Coast, get the benefits they are entitled to, and we can help you, too.
The Workers’ Compensation system in Florida (and nationwide) is complicated. There is no way we could possibly cover all that you have to know about Workers’ Compensation on our website, but we can provide you with some basic workers' compensation information to serve as a starting point and to help you come up with some questions for your consultation with our Miami workers' compensation attorneys. If you have been injured at work or if you have developed a disease or some other medical condition due to your work, then you may qualify for Workers’ Compensation benefits. After hearing the details of your case and looking over any paperwork or medical records you may have, we will be able to advise you of what you may be entitled to under Florida’s Workers’ Compensation law.
Florida's workers' compensation system provides several different types of income-replacement benefits, depending on the severity of your injury and your ability to return to work.
If your injury prevents you from working at all, you are eligible for Temporary Total Disability benefits, which pay roughly two-thirds of your average weekly wage. If you can return to work but with restrictions that result in earning less, you may receive Temporary Partial Disability benefits.
Once your doctor determines you have reached "Maximum Medical Improvement" (MMI), you will be assigned an impairment rating if you have a permanent loss of function. You will then receive Permanent Impairment Benefits based on this rating.
In cases of catastrophic injury where you are permanently unable to return to any form of employment, you may be eligible for Permanent Total Disability benefits, which can continue until age 75.
While Florida's workers' compensation program is supposed to help injured employees, the system is notoriously complex and can feel stacked against you. A missed deadline or an incorrectly filed form can lead to an immediate denial of the benefits you desperately need.
Our job is to take this burden off your shoulders. We handle the insurance companies and the legal paperwork so you can focus on your health. We know the tactics insurers use to deny legitimate claims, and we will not let that happen to you. It is imperative that you have an experienced and knowledgeable Fort Lauderdale workers' compensation lawyer on your side following a workplace injury, a workplace accident, or illness. A missed deadline or a form filled out incorrectly can mean immediate denial. Then, it could take months to file again, and you may be denied benefits again… and again… and again.
The Florida workers' compensation system is complex and confusing, and a single mistake can jeopardize your access to the benefits you need. Don't let a missed deadline or an insurance company's tactics prevent you from getting the medical care and wage benefits you are entitled to under the law.
The attorneys at The Cochran Firm South Florida are here to handle every aspect of your claim, from filing the initial paperwork to fighting a denial. Let us take on the legal burden so you can focus on your recovery.
Contact us today for a free, confidential consultation to understand your rights. We work on a contingency fee basis, so you pay absolutely nothing unless we win your case.
Call our South Florida office now at (954) 523-7333 or fill out our online form to get started.
There are no upfront costs to hire our firm. We handle all workers' compensation cases on a contingency fee basis, which is set by Florida law. This means our fee is a percentage of the benefits we successfully recover for you, and we only get paid if you win your case.
No. It is illegal for an employer in Florida to fire you or retaliate against you in any way for filing a legitimate workers' compensation claim. If you believe you have been wrongfully terminated for filing a claim, you may have a separate lawsuit against your employer.
Generally, no. The workers' compensation system is a "no-fault" system that provides medical and wage benefits but does not allow you to sue your employer for non-economic damages like pain and suffering. The only way to recover these damages is by filing a separate "third-party" lawsuit against a negligent party other than your employer.
The "120-day rule" refers to the period after your accident during which the insurance company can investigate your claim. During this time, they can pay you benefits without formally accepting your claim as compensable. After 120 days, it becomes much more difficult for them to deny the claim.
