Workplace forklift accidents are common in Florida and often result in catastrophic injuries or death. Our law firm is currently handling two forklift accident cases, each involving serious injuries. Employees injured in forklift accidents should be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits through the employer or its insurance company. The…
For the past twenty plus years, the quality and value of workers’ compensation benefits in Florida have diminished. This is especially true for medical benefits. There was a time in Florida when injured workers had a strong say in the selection of their primary care physician. In turn, the primary…
The remedies available under Florida’s workers’ compensation system and its personal injury laws are significantly different in many ways. The most important difference may be that workers’ compensation does not compensate for pain and suffering (non-economic damages). For this reason, many people wish to pursue their remedy under the personal…
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of the most frequently injured ligaments in the human body. The typical mechanism of the injury is a non-contact twisting movement, usually due to abrupt deceleration and change of direction. Side-stepping (cutting), pivoting and landing from a jump are examples of events that…
Florida employees injured at work may be entitled to retraining benefits. The procedure is outlined in Section 440.491 of the Florida Statutes. Upon referral of an injured employee by the carrier (defined in section (1)(a) of 440.491), or upon the request of an injured employee, the Florida Department of Education…
Permanent Total Disability (PTD) is the only periodic (bi-weekly) monetary payment available to injured workers after maximum medical improvement (MMI) is reached. The standard for qualifying for PTD benefits has changed numerous times over the years. When I began handling workers’ compensation cases, in 1987, to qualify for PTD benefits…
In my view, one of the most important decisions in the history of Florida workers’ compensation jurisprudence is Aguilera v. Inservices, Inc., 905 So.2d. 84 (Fla. 2005). In a nutshell, Aguilera authorized civil lawsuits against insurance carriers and their adjusters “for harm caused subsequent to and distinct from the original…
In my 25 years of representing accident victims, I have found rotator cuff injuries to be about the most debilitating of all traumatic injuires for those employed as manual laborers. Unfortunately, it is a very common injury – for example, shoulder pain is second to back pain as the bases…
Proving compensability of heart attacks and strokes under Florida’s workers’ compensation system has always been difficult. Even when the law allowed the award of “reasonable” carrier-paid hourly attorney’s fees to the successful Claimant’s attorney, whether or not to accept a case required serious thoughtful consideration. Now that Florida’s new attorney’s…
Compensation for pain and suffering is available in most types of accident cases. It is not available in Florida workers’ compensation cases. Florida’s workers’ compensation system was instituted so that employees injured at work would not have to prove fault in order to receive benefits. Entitlement to compensation was to…