Workers' Compensation

Workplace safety is something most employees take for granted. However, the reality is that workplace injuries are very common. If you’ve been injured on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits can provide you with financial support allowing you to recover as much as possible from your injuries so you can get your life back on track as quickly as possible. At the law firm of Friedman Rodman Frank & Estrada, our passionate team of South Florida worker’s compensation lawyers has helped countless injured workers obtain benefits over the past 45 years.

Typically, when someone is hurt in an accident, they can bring a personal injury case against the party responsible for their injuries. However, over time, lawmakers realized that a personal injury case may not adequately address workplace injuries. For example, personal injury cases require an employee to prove the other person was at fault for their injuries and can take quite some time to resolve.

The Florida workers’ compensation system was developed in response to these concerns. Through a workers’ compensation claim, an injured worker can obtain medical and income-replacement benefits without needing to show that someone else caused their injuries. These claims also tend to proceed much more quickly, meaning injured workers do not need to wait as long for compensation and medical benefits.

Workers’ compensation benefits are available to employees who suffer an occupational illness or injury that is related to their employment. However, this does not mean that if you suffered a workplace injury, your employer (or their insurance company) will willingly approve your workers’ compensation claim.

While some injuries are easily linked to a worker’s employment, that is not always the case. For example, if you developed a repetitive use injury such as tennis elbow, rotator cuff tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome or aggravation of a preexisting condition, proving a connection between your condition and your employment may be more challenging. An experienced South Florida workers’ compensation attorney can help by advocating on your behalf in negotiations with your employer or their insurance company.

To be sure, some jobs are inherently dangerous. For example, those working in the construction, manufacturing, material extraction, food and beverage, and transportation industries suffer the highest rate of injury of all Florida workers. However, while certain occupations present a higher risk of injury than others, workers in any industry can suffer an injury on the job. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most common causes of workplace accidents include:

• Motor vehicle collisions,
• Exposure to harmful substances,
• Falls, and
• Workplace assaults and animal attacks.

If you were injured on the job, a South Florida workers’ compensation lawyer can help you recover benefits to cover your medical expenses and lost wages.

Generally, a worker’s sole remedy against their employer is a workers’ compensation claim. This means, if your employer’s negligence was the cause of your injuries, you can likely obtain workers’ compensation benefits but cannot sue the employer in the traditional sense. However, some workplace injuries are the result of a third party’s negligence. For example, if you were injured in a car accident caused by another driver while you were on the clock. In these situations, you may be able to pursue both a workers’ compensation claim as well as a personal injury claim against the negligent third party.

If you suffered injuries related to a workplace accident, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. A South Florida workers’ compensation attorney can help you gather the necessary documents, effectively prepare your claim, and negotiate with the insurance company on your behalf. At Friedman Rodman Frank & Estrada, our lawyers have extensive experience handling all types of work injury claims, including workers’ compensation claims and third-party personal injury claims. To learn more about how we can help you obtain the compensation you deserve, contact us at 305-448-8585. Our lawyers represent accident victims throughout South Florida, including but not limited to Miami, Naples, Homestead, Fort Lauderdale and Orlando.