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Our Workplace Injury Lawyers Fight for Maximum Benefits If you were injured on the job, you may have thought you were safe and eligible to receive benefits. It can be a shock to face delays, a denial of your claim, or to receive benefits so low that you and your family suffer. At Panzer Law, we take on the most challenging workers’ compensation cases with confidence, skill, and a personal dedication to you, your family, and your future.
Injured on the Job? You Deserve Help from a Trusted Workers’ Compensation Lawyer You have dedicated the majority of your day to provide services to your employer, whether working at a construction site, in the hospitality industry, in retail, or in another profession. A job-related injury can happen to anyone, and under Florida law, if you are injured while performing your work duties, you have the right to seek workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits are paid to cover the following costs:
Speak to our Trusted Workers’ Compensation Lawyer You and your family could be suffering serious consequences if you were injured on the job. You are no longer collecting a paycheck and may require expensive and ongoing medical care, adding stress and anxiety to a difficult situation. You may have filed a workers’ compensation claim and have been left waiting, with no benefits arriving and a long delay. Like any complicated claim, if you fail to provide precisely the information required, your claim will stall in the system.
It is of great value to engage the services of our legal team at Panzer Law, as we ensure that every detail of your claim is submitted accurately, on time, and with all the supporting documents. Our legal team has an exceptional degree of experience navigating the Florida workers’ compensation system. We help our clients fight for justice and are dedicated “defenders of the injured.” You have spent your working life providing services to your employer – will you be treated fairly? Once we take on your case, we will make sure you are.
What Workers’ Compensation Benefits Can I Expect?
After a workplace injury, you are eligible to claim various types of benefits, including: Benefit checks paid every two weeks, at approximately 64% to two-thirds of the amount you were earning from your regular paycheck, with a cap for higher wage earners. The calculation of your earnings will be based on the 91-day period before you suffered your injury.
The workers’ comp system, under Florida law, allows for up to 260 weeks of benefits, or two years.
How Long Will My Benefits be Paid? The workers’ compensation system, under Florida law, allows for up to 260 weeks of benefits, or two years. Depending on the degree of your work injuries, you could be eligible for the following benefits:
Speak to a Lawyer Now!
Navigating the workers’ compensation system in Florida is a nightmare. Any person who is unfamiliar with the process is likely to feel frustrated, confused, and unsure about what to do, what to expect, or how much in benefits should be paid. At Panzer Law, we understand the importance of your benefit checks and can work with you to expedite the resolution of your claim. If you make an error in your submission, your benefit checks will be delayed, and in some cases, denied. You just can’t risk it – and we are here to help.
What to Do if Your Claim Was Denied? Many claims are denied. This is often due to an employer claiming you were not really injured while on the job or because you did not file the right paperwork at the right time. These are scary and difficult situations, and you need help from an attorney who can navigate the system and achieve results. At Panzer Law, our legal team is experienced, knowledgeable, and ready to break through the challenges and solve even the most difficult cases.
How Long Do I Have to File a Claim? You must report your injury or illness to your employer within 30 days of becoming aware of it. You have two years from the date of your injury (with some exceptions) in which to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. Missing filing deadlines can create serious problems, including jeopardizing your claim, and having help from one of our lawyers at Panzer Law could be one of the best decisions you could make.
Why Choose Panzer Law for a Workers’ Compensation Case? The experience and skill of your attorney could not be more important when it comes to workers’ compensation cases. Our founder, attorney Gil Panzer, holds both a law degree and a master’s degree in economics – lending him a rare level of insight into the complex financial matters associated with worker’s comp claims, including death benefits, permanent total disability benefits, temporary disability benefits, medical benefits, and settlement negotiations.
His experience as a litigator in challenging cases has given him a profound understanding of the system. Both he and the other attorneys on his legal team provide an exceptional level of dedication to the people they serve. Your case will be in the hands of a true professional who cares about you and your family and will keep you informed throughout the duration of your case.
An injury can occur in any work environment. Some of the most common types of injuries include slips and falls, strains, lacerations, burns, hearing damage, toxic exposure, vehicle accidents, eye injuries, broken bones, neck, shoulder, or back injuries.
Construction is one of the most dangerous of all industries in America. People who work in this industry face many risks every day. Some of the most common workplace accidents in the construction industry include being hit by falling tools or debris, falls, electrocutions, explosions, burns, machinery accidents, trapped in or between, trench collapses, rollovers, and vehicle accidents, among others.
If you lost a loved one due to fatal injuries sustained at work, you have the right to compensation under Florida’s workers’ compensation law. The benefits paid include funeral expenses up to $7,500 and a percentage of the average weekly wages your loved one earned. These are often complicated cases, and we urge you to speak with our workers’ comp lawyer at Panzer Law at once if your loved one has passed away after suffering a work-related accident. We will fight to ensure your right to compensation is protected.
If you have a work accident…
Workers’ compensation cases are filed with the State of Florida Division of Administrative Hearings, Office of the Judges of Compensation Claims. Your employer at the time of accident will be named as a party, but virtually all employers we file against have workers’ compensation insurance, and the insurance company will be paying your benefits, not your employer.
You do not need to bring anything to the meeting. However, it is helpful to bring documentation relevant to your situation. For example:
Again, you may not have this information when we first meet. We will work with you to find out how to obtain this information if you need it. Due to our extensive experience, our attorneys routinely obtain important documents and materials relevant to your case.
Disability benefits remain while you are recovering from your injury. Thereafter additional disability benefits are available, and the duration depends on the extent of your injuries. Medical benefits can be maintained indefinitely with the right strategy.
You must report the injury or illness to your employer within 30 days of your knowledge of the injury, but with certain exceptions.
Your employer must report your injuries, and if he or she fails to do so, could be subject to fines and penalties. While the employer has the right to dispute your claim once filed, they cannot stop you from filing a claim.
The benefits paid by the workers’ compensation system in Florida allow you between 64 percent and 66 2/3 percent of your average weekly wage, paid every two weeks.
It is not uncommon for a workers’ comp claim to be denied. If you received a “Notice of Denial,” it can be a shocking and worrying situation – you need the benefits you are entitled to under the law. If you were denied, our workers’ comp attorneys at Panzer Law can take your case in hand and file a Petition for Benefits. This initiates the process and typically will lead to what is termed a “mediation conference” to attempt to resolve the dispute, and thereafter a trial before a judge if the dispute is unresolved. Our legal team can take action on your behalf in this situation.
You have the right to reject an offer of settlement that is too low, and our legal team at Panzer Law is here to guide you through this process and will do everything possible to expedite the process.
The vast majority of cases are settled without the need to take it to trial. However, you do want to ensure your workers’ compensation lawyer has trial skills, as this skill set is also needed to prepare a compelling case, present it in mediation or negotiations, and at trial if this is in your best interests.
Our firm charges nothing unless we recover benefits for you. In a workers’ compensation case, you pay 30% or less when there is a recovery. The amount is often less because we often recover a portion of our attorney’s fees from the insurance company, sometimes 100%, thereby reducing or eliminating your responsibility for attorney’s fees. In a personal injury case, you pay 33% if the case settles before the defendant files an answer in a lawsuit, or 40% if the case does not settle before the defendant files an answer in a lawsuit. Costs work the same way, whereby our costs are paid only if we recover benefits for you. In workers’ compensation cases, we often recover part of our costs, sometimes 100%, thereby reducing or eliminating your responsibility for costs. You pay nothing unless and until we recover benefits for you.
Every workers’ compensation case is unique. The value will be based on the degree of your injuries, whether they will lead to future challenges, affect your ability to earn a living, require ongoing medical care, and many other factors. To determine the value of your claim will require reviewing your medical condition, valuing the financial losses you have experienced and will experience, and the work restrictions associated with your injuries.
Meeting with a workers’ compensation attorney shouldn’t be an intimidating experience.
Rather it should be useful. In our office, we collect information about your case and help clients to be well informed and comfortable when they come in for an initial consultation. We share important information in at least two ways and develop your case to best handle it for your unique situation.
When you first walk into our office, we’ll sit down and go over the reason for your visit. You will discuss your case with one of our attorneys. If you speak Spanish, you will discuss your case with a Spanish-speaking attorney. One of our staff members will collect information about you and your situation. We will ask you specific questions about your background, your employment, and your injury. Our interview will be extensive and in detail, to obtain the most complete information about your situation. When we are well informed, it allows us to better prepare your case. At the close of the meetings, we may have some tasks for you to do and help us follow up after our meeting, and we will also be running a series of processes after our meeting to start your case as soon as possible.
June 8, 2021
