You may be eligible for workers’ compensation if you have become injured or ill while working at a job. Recently, Florida has made a few changes to workers’ compensation premiums and benefits. Understanding these changes can help you strategically navigate this process.
Continue reading as workers’ compensation attorney Lyle B. Masnikoff explains these changes to workers’ compensation. Feel free to contact us with any questions or schedule your free consultation to discuss your claim.
Changes to Florida Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rates in 2022
In 2022, Florida made an important change to the way businesses obtain workers’ compensation insurance.
As of January 1, 2022, the Florida Office of Insurance Regulation enacted a 4.9% decrease in workers’ compensation insurance rates. This decrease will save employers a significant amount of money when purchasing workers’ comp insurance for their employees. In total, employers across Florida may save $119 million on their insurance premiums compared to 2021.
The Office of Insurance Regulation has steadily decreased workers’ comp insurance rates over the past several years. Keeping these rates low benefits employers, workers, and insurance agents.
Workers’ compensation insurance is mandatory for Florida employers with four or more employees. However, now that insurance rates are 4.9% lower than in 2021, employers should have an easier time gaining access to the compensation necessary for their workers.
New Florida Limits on Benefits for Workers’ Compensation Claims
Each year, Florida adjusts the maximum compensation amount workers can receive from workers’ comp claims. As of January 1, 2022, the compensation limits are as follows:
- Maximum: $1,099 per week
- Minimum: $20 per week
This maximum amount is equal to the statewide average weekly wage for the year leading up to June 20, 2021.
While the minimum compensation amount has not changed in 50 years, the maximum has increased steadily. This cap increased by $88 between 2021 and 2022. Previously, the maximum increased by $30 between 2020 and 2021 and by $32 between 2019 and 2020.
The amount of compensation you can receive depends on the number of dependents you have and a few other factors. However, it cannot equal more than two-thirds of your average weekly wage and not exceed the maximum above.
Working with our qualified workers’ compensation lawyers can help you secure a sufficient amount of compensation for your injuries or illness based on Florida laws.
Other Changes to Florida Workers’ Compensation
The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation continually reviews and updates the state’s policies and procedures surrounding workers’ compensation benefits. On May 25, 2022, this division slightly changed the procedures insurance companies must follow for workers’ compensation claims.
Before this change, insurance companies were required to mail potential claimants brochures about their coverage options within three days of the reported injury. However, insurance companies can now send these brochures by e-mail instead of direct mail.
Who Is Eligible for Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance coverage available to workers who become injured or ill during employment. As a result, if you have experienced an injury on the job or developed an illness as a direct result of your employment, you may be able to receive workers’ compensation.
Florida has not changed worker eligibility recently. However, reviewing the state’s existing eligibility guidelines can help determine whether you should apply for this form of compensation.
Workers’ compensation covers accidental injuries and occupational diseases but typically does not cover mental or nervous injuries. In Florida, you do not need to provide proof that your employer was liable for the injury. You only need to show that it happened while you were on the job.
Generally, to be eligible for a workers’ compensation claim, you must meet the following statutes of limitations:
- Report your injury to your employer within 30 days
- File petitions for benefits within two years of your injury or illness
However, there are a few exceptions to these limits. Working with a qualified workers’ comp lawyer can help you understand your eligibility for this form of insurance payout.
Lyle B. Masnikoff and Associates, P.A. – Your Workers’ Comp Attorneys in Florida
Did you suffer an injury on the job? Let us help you. Our workers’ compensation lawyers have a stellar track record of fighting for the rights of injured workers. At Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A., our team of workers’ comp lawyers will bring years of legal experience to promote your workers’ compensation claim. Our firm’s clients can be sure of assertive representation, a results-driven approach, and efficient legal strategies. We will go the extra mile!
To schedule your free consultation with a workers’ comp lawyer, call us today at (866) 519-3831 or fill out our online form here. Our multilingual staff welcomes Spanish- and Creole-speaking clients. We have offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Ft. Pierce, Orlando, and Port St. Lucie, Florida.
Copyright © 2022. Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A. All rights reserved.
The information in this blog post (“post”) is provided for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current law in your jurisdiction. No information in this post should be construed as legal advice from the individual author or the law firm, nor is it intended to be a substitute for legal counsel on any subject matter. No reader of this post should act or refrain from acting based on any information included in or accessible through this post without seeking the appropriate legal or other professional advice on the particular facts and circumstances at issue from a lawyer licensed in the recipient’s state, country, or other appropriate licensing jurisdiction.
Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A.
1645 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd #550
West Palm Beach, FL 33401
(561) 598-7120
https://workerscompfl.net/
Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A.
7380 Sandlake Road, Suite 500
Orlando, FL 32819
(407) 896-0116
https://workerscompfl.net/
Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A.
110 E Broward Blvd #1700
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(954) 581-9115
https://workerscompfl.net/
Lyle B. Masnikoff & Associates, P.A.
543 NW Lake Whitney Place, Suite 106
Port St. Lucie, FL 34986
(772) 461-9181
https://workerscompfl.net/
