Articles Posted in workers' compensation

The belief that a physician’s written prescription must accompany every petition for benefits requesting medical care has taken on the status of religious doctrine in Florida workers’ compensation practice. This blog aims to challenge and clarify that misconception. A petition for benefits is the workers’ compensation equivalent of a civil complaint. It is the legal…

Our law firm handles both workers’ compensation and personal injury cases, claimant’s/plaintiff’s side only. For years we have been dealing with Medicare Set-Asides (MSA) in our workers’ compensation cases. We have not been doing it in our personal injury cases. It may be time to start. A Medicare Set-Aside is a legal device used to…

For the most part, Florida workers involved in industrial accidents have little control over which medical providers are authorized to treat them under the state’s workers’ compensation system. Control of the medical care is mostly held by the employers and their workers’ compensation insurance carriers (E/C). Section 440.13, Florida Statutes lays out the parameters regarding…

Our client, a construction site supervisor, was injured off-premises at the end of his lunch break. The beginning and end of lunch were signaled by a loud horn. He and his brother traveled by car to a nearby 7-11 to purchase lunch items. They returned to the area near the worksite to eat lunch in…

We represent a woman who fell at work. The employer sent her to a clinic the same day for treatment. However, because of miscommunications between the employer and the clinic, she never got in to see a doctor despite waiting more than two hours. While in the waiting room, our client began experiencing stroke-like symptoms.…

Florida Statute 440.13 governs the provision of medical care under Florida’s workers’ compensation system. For the most part, the Employer and its insurance carrier — “E/C” — control the provision of medical care. The most dominant aspect of this control is the right to select the injured worker’s treating doctors. Unfortunately, most of these doctors…

The resolution of disputes in Florida workers’ compensation cases often boils down to medical opinions. On this matter, the deck is stacked against injured workers (a/k/a “claimants”). Section 440.13(2)(a), Florida Statutes lays out the obligations of employers and their insurance carriers, commonly referred to as “E/C,” to furnish medical care to injured workers. Unless an…

The Oxford Dictionary defines peer review as “a judgment on a piece of scientific or other professional work by others working in the same area.” It is a commonly used procedure with a variety of scientific and medical matters. Florida’s workers’ compensation statutes are located in Chapter 440. Peer review is referenced at section 440.13(1)(o)…

During every initial workers’ compensation client interview, I spend time explaining that Florida’s workers’ compensation system does not pay benefits for non-economic damages such as pain and suffering. Most people don’t know this. I reiterate the point during various stages of the case, especially as we approach settlement discussions. Nothing prevents fair and reasonable settlements…