Workers’ Compensation for Construction Injuries

Construction sites are dangerous places. When you are a construction worker, you are constantly around dangerous machinery and tools.

You often work on ladders and scaffolds. You lift heavy weights. You are exposed to dust, chemicals, and electrical systems. Things get dropped.

Almost 30 percent of Florida’s work-related deaths happened on construction sites, according to 2014 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Construction workers are also prone to severe, often disabling injuries. These injuries can include:

• Amputations
• Traumatic brain injuries
• Degenerative disc disease and chronic back pain
• Rotator cuff and shoulder injuries
• Knee problems, including overuse injuries
• Broken bones and crush injuries
• Loss of vision and hearing
• Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and other breathing problems
• Lacerations and burns
• Contact dermatitis (from exposure to chemicals)
• Carpal tunnel syndrome and ulnar neuropathy

Sometimes these injuries are related to a single accident.

Other times, conditions develop over time, due to constant wear and tear. Intense physical activity can lead to arthritis, degenerative disc disease, and other conditions. Exposure to dust, fumes, and chemicals can gradually cause breathing and skin problems.

Degeneration and arthritis are not always age-related. If you think you have a work-related medical condition, contact Hardesty, Tyde, Green, Ashton & Clifton, P.A. for a free consultation.

Your Right to Workers’ Compensation Benefits.

If you have been injured on a Florida construction site, you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.

These benefits can include:

• Medical treatment
• Payments for lost wages and disability
• Vocational rehabilitation.

The amount of your wage loss and disability benefits will depend on the severity of your injury.

If a family member died because of a construction site accident, you may be eligible for death benefits.

Death benefits include:

• A one-time funeral expense payment
• Wage loss benefits
• 50 percent of the employee’s average weekly wage (paid to a surviving spouse)
• Additional payments for dependent children

While nothing can replace a loved one, workers’ compensation can help offset the financial hardship.

Advice for Injured Construction Workers

Report Your Injury to Your Employer as Soon as Possible

You should always report workplace accidents. What may seem to be a minor injury could result in permanent disability. When you report an injury, you create evidence that supports a workers’ compensation claim.

If you fail to notify your employer within 30 days, you may lose your right to workers’ compensation benefits.

Seek Medical Treatment

When you need medical care, treat with a provider that is authorized by your employer. If you get medical treatment from your own doctor, it may not be covered by workers’ compensation.

And, you should not wait to get necessary medical care. Do not work through severe pain! Delays in medical treatment can lead to a denial of your workers’ compensation benefits. (Insurance companies are usually skeptical of late-reported injuries.)

When you see a doctor, give an accurate description of your accident and symptoms. This will help the doctor diagnose your problems, and will help link the injury to your workplace.

Talk to Our Team of Experienced Florida Workers’ Compensation Attorneys Today!

If you have a construction-related injury, don’t try to handle your workers’ compensation claim alone. Florida law has become more and more complicated, and it is in your best interest to hire an experienced construction injury lawyer.

Hardesty, Tyde, Green & Ashton, P. A.’s workers’ compensation attorneys will evaluate your claim and guide you through the claims and appeals processes. We will work with you to get the maximum benefit in your case.

Hardesty, Tyde, Green & Ashton, P. A. is here to help. Contact us today.