Were you or a loved one injured in a workplace accident in Tampa, FL? You may be entitled to compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and your pain and suffering. A Tampa workers’ compensation lawyer at Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers can help you understand your rights under Florida workers’ compensation and personal injury laws.
We’ve been advocating for injured workers in the Tampa Bay area since 1992. We’ve recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation and are ready to put our track record of success to work for you.
To take the next step, please call us at (813) 222-8656 or contact our law offices in Tampa, FL online to schedule a free consultation with a seasoned lawyer who can help today.
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How Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers Can Help After a Workplace Accident in Tampa
Workers’ compensation provides compensation if you were hurt on the job. In exchange, you forfeit your right to sue your employer for damages.
Unfortunately, workers’ compensation can be anything but simple. You could face challenges to getting the full benefits you deserve. A Tampa injury lawyer can help you fight for the maximum compensation available.
When you hire Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, our team will:
- Investigate to find out what caused the accident
- Identify all sources of compensation
- Fight back if your employer or the insurance company challenge your right to benefits
- Make sure you’re getting the correct amount
- Defend you if your doctor recommends returning to work before you’ve recovered
You work hard for a living. You deserve to be protected if you’re hurt on the job. Our Tampa workers’ compensation lawyers have over 28 years of experience helping people like you navigate the workers’ compensation system. To learn more, don’t hesitate to reach out for help today.
How Common Are Workplace Accidents in Tampa?
Workers are injured on the job every day. It’s not only dangerous construction sites or factories that put workers at risk of serious injury. Whether you’re working in an office, supermarket, or even on the water, you run the risk of getting hurt at work.
Workplace injuries are much more common than you might think. For every 100,000 U.S. workers, there are about 2.8 occupational injuries or illnesses.
In 2019, 5,333 workers in the United States were killed on the job, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Over 2,120 fatalities were attributed to motor vehicle accidents, and 880 of those fatalities were caused by slip and fall accidents.
A total of 306 workplace fatalities were reported in the state of Florida for 2019, as follows:
- 106 transportation incidents
- 69 fatal slip and fall accidents
- 44 deaths from exposure to harmful substances or environments
- 43 deaths caused by workplace violence and animal attacks
Did you sustain an injury or lose a loved one in a work accident in Tampa? Call our law firm today to get the legal advice you deserve.
What Types of Damages Are Available in a Workers’ Compensation Case in Tampa, FL?
Workers’ compensation in Florida provides three primary forms of benefits:
- Medical benefits
- Wage replacement benefits
- Survivor benefits
If you were hurt on the job, we’ll fight to recover the full benefits you deserve, including:
Medical Benefits
Filing a workers’ compensation claim gives you the right to reasonable and necessary medical benefits. The cost of your hospitalization, doctor’s visits, prescription drugs, and even rehabilitation are covered.
However, there are limits. You’ll have to visit a doctor approved by the workers’ compensation insurance company. Instead of sending you a bill, the doctor will send the bill directly to workers’ compensation.
Wage Replacement Benefits
You may not be able to work while you recover. If you can’t work for at least seven days, you’ll be entitled to about ⅔ of your average weekly wages prior to the accident. If you can’t work for at least 21 days, you’ll also receive wage replacement benefits for the first seven days of disability.
You may also be entitled to:
- Partial disability benefits, if you’re able to work at a reduced capacity during your recovery
- Impairment benefits, if you’ve reached maximum medical improvement (MMI) and still can’t work at full capacity
- Permanent total disability benefits if you can never return to work, even after reaching MMI
Weekly wage replacement benefits are subject to a cap. If your income was relatively high prior to the accident, you may not receive ⅔ of your weekly wages if that would exceed the weekly caps in place at the time.
Survivor’s Benefits
The families of fatal work accident victims are entitled to death benefits of up to $150,000. Under Florida workers’ compensation laws, you may be eligible if you lost a family member after five years of disability or within one year of the accident.
You may also be entitled to funeral and burial costs of up to $7,500.
Can I File a Personal Injury Lawsuit for Additional Damages?
You generally aren’t able to sue your employer for damages after a work accident. Workers’ compensation replaces the personal injury lawsuit option.
However, if a third party’s negligence caused your accident, you may be able to file a lawsuit for additional damages.
For example, you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim if your accident was caused by a negligent:
- Property owner
- General contractor
- Subcontractor or vendor
- Driver of a motor vehicle
- Employer of a negligent employee
- Engineer, architect, or other professional
- Manufacturer of a defective product
In short, if anyone other than your employer was liable, you may be entitled to recover damages for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Your full lost wages
- Lost future earning capacity
- Rehabilitation
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Disfigurement and scarring
- Depression and PTSD
- Diminished quality of life
- Loss of consortium
Are you interested in learning more about the third-party claims process? Call our lawyers for a free consultation today.
Can I Recover Damages If I’m Being Blamed for a Work Accident in Florida?
Yes. You can usually recover full workers’ compensation benefits even if you’re partly or entirely to blame for your work accident. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system.
Personal injury suits work differently. Under the comparative fault laws in Florida, your final compensation award in a lawsuit can be reduced to account for your share of the blame.
We’ll Fight to Recover Compensation for All of Your Workplace Accident Injuries
A serious injury can take you off the job for weeks or even months. You deserve to be fairly compensated while you recover. At Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, we’ll fight to recover the maximum compensation possible in your case.
We handle all types of injury claims, including those involving:
- Brain injuries
- Crushing injuries
- Eye injuries
- Hearing damage or loss
- Spinal cord injuries
- Head and neck injuries
- Concussions
- Back injuries
- Organ damage
- Broken bones
- Burn injuries
- Loss of limbs
- Paralysis
- Catastrophic injuries
- Wrongful death of a loved one
You don’t have to wait to take legal action. Call our offices today to schedule a free case evaluation and learn more about your legal options.
What Causes Most Workplace Accidents in Tampa, Florida?
In 2019, the most dangerous types of workplace accidents included:
- Transportation accidents
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Exposure to harmful substances or environments
- Unintentional overdoses
- Fires and explosions
At Catania and Catania Injury Lawyers, we handle all types of workplace accident claims, including those involving:
- Construction site accidents
- Factory accidents
- Manufacturing accidents
- Car accidents
- Unsafe work equipment
- Defective machinery, tools, or equipment
- Slip and falls
- Scaffolding accidents
- Electrocution and electric shock
- Roof and ladder falls
- Occupational illness and conditions due to repetitive motion or heavy lifting
- Welding accidents
- Trenching or excavation accidents
- Accidents involving being caught between objects
- Crushing accidents
- Boating accidents
Were you hurt on the job? Our Tampa workers’ compensation attorneys are here to protect your legal rights. Just give us a quick call today to learn more.
How Do I Prove Negligence in a Florida Workers’ Compensation Case?
Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. If you’re hurt on the job, you aren’t required to prove negligence to recover workers’ compensation benefits.
You’ll only be required to prove negligence if you’re eligible to file a personal injury lawsuit. Proving negligence means establishing:
- A legal duty of care
- Breach of the duty
- Causation
- Damages
If you think someone other than your employer was responsible for your injuries, call us today to learn more.
How Long Do I Have to File a Lawsuit After a Workplace Accident in Florida?
The deadline for taking legal action depends on your legal basis for compensation. You’ll only have 30 days to report your injury or work-related illness to your employer.
Eligible injured workers generally have two years to file a personal injury lawsuit. This statute of limitations is reduced to two years to file a wrongful death lawsuit if the accident was fatal.
Contact a Tampa Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for a Free Consultation
Were you hurt in a workplace accident in Tampa? Call a Tampa workers’ compensation lawyer to make sure you’re getting the full benefits you deserve today. We offer a free consultation so you don’t have to worry about any up-front costs.
