Working in correctional facilities can be both stressful and physically dangerous. Fortunately, if you are employed as a corrections officer in the Sunshine State, you likely have access to workers’ compensation benefits, which can help make up for medical bills and lost work income when you suffered a work-related injury or illness.
However, obtaining the benefits you deserve can be challenging if you are not working with a skilled workers’ comp attorney. If you suffered one of several illnesses as a corrections officer in Florida, a lawyer from our team can help with getting your benefits claim approved.
Workers’ compensation law offers some unique benefits to first responders in recognition of the hazards they may face on the job, and most of those benefits are also available to people who work in correctional facilities. As our lawyers can explain, Florida Statutes § 112.18 (also known as the Heart & Lung Bill) generally allows corrections officers to presume that a diagnosis of heart disease, hypertension, or tuberculosis was work-related. This means you can completely avoid two initial steps in the workers’ comp claim process that often serve as major obstacles to other injured workers.
However, while police officers, firefighters, and other first responders can often presume that post-traumatic stress disorder is work-related thanks to FL Stat. § 112.1815, that section of state law does not explicitly offer this right to corrections officers. An attorney can answer your questions and provide additional information about what Florida law covers for your occupation and how to approach filing a claim.
Technically, people who become injured or sick while working have a maximum of two years to file a workers’ compensation claim under the statute of limitations. In reality, though, you are expected to report your work-related injury or illness to your employer as soon as possible: no more than 30 days after.
Furthermore, you would generally only need to file a claim yourself if your employer fails to fulfill their own legal obligations during the claims process, or if your initial claim is denied by the insurance provider. If that occurs, it is important for corrections officers in Florida to have support from an experienced lawyer who can resolve any issues with your petition and advise on how your various worker benefits help with your coverage.
Correctional facilities can present workers with a wide variety of hazardous conditions, from aggressive inmates to poor conditions. Any injury or illness you experience related to your work may serve as the basis for a compensation claim – and state law allows you to streamline your request for benefits.
If you want to get the best possible outcome from your claim, you should consider hiring a corrections officer workers’ compensation lawyer from our Florida law firm. Call Bichler & Longo today for an initial consultation and to get the benefits you are rightly owed.