Firefighters are heroes who risk their lives on every shift to protect their communities and their neighbors. Exposure to cancer-causing substances is just one of the many risks that firefighters face. State law provides exclusive benefits for firefighters who are diagnosed with cancer, but accessing them is not always simple without a workers’ compensation attorney. Contact the Florida firefighter cancer benefits lawyer at Bichler & Longo to ensure that you receive everything that you deserve.
As a firefighter, you face the risks of rushing to a scene, battling fires, and working in unsafe structures. Your work also exposes you to known carcinogens. As a result, firefighters have an unusually high rate of cancer diagnoses and deaths.
For most work-related injuries, you would file a workers’ compensation claim and receive healthcare and a partial wage benefit while you were unable to work. The cancer benefit for firefighters is a separate program (even separate from the similar Heart and Lung Statute) established by Florida Statute § 112.1816. Under this law, you do not need to see a workers’ compensation-approved physician to confirm your diagnosis, and you receive your cancer treatment through your employer’s group health insurance or health trust.
Firefighters do not need to give up any rights to access cancer benefits. If your employer presents you with a release or waiver in exchange for benefits, do not sign it. Instead, immediately contact an attorney at our firm for help accessing your Florida cancer benefits.
Notably, the cancer benefit is not available to everyone who works for a fire department. There are some strict qualification requirements. Some of these requirements might seem ambiguous when applied to a specific situation. If you have questions about whether you qualify for the Florida firefighter cancer benefit, speak with one of our respected legal professionals. We can evaluate the facts in your case and advise you about whether to pursue these benefits.
Only people employed full-time as firefighters or certified fire investigators working for a fire department or public safety agency are eligible. Volunteer firefighters are not entitled to benefits under the law.
The law says that you must have worked for your employer for at least five continuous years to be eligible for the benefit.
You are disqualified from the cancer benefit if you used tobacco products within the five years preceding your cancer diagnosis. You are also disqualified if you worked at a job other than firefighter within the previous five years, and that job is proven to heighten cancer risk.
The law went into effect on July 1, 2019. Firefighters who were diagnosed before that date might not eligible for the benefit.
The law lists 21 different forms of cancer that are eligible for benefits. If you are diagnosed with a form of cancer not listed below, you are likely not be eligible for the benefits:
If your claim for cancer benefits are denied or your employer wants you to sign a release to receive your benefits, contact us immediately. We urge you to contact us as soon as you are diagnosed so we can guide you through the process and ensure you get your benefits in a timely manner.
If you are eligible for the firefighter cancer benefit in Florida, you can claim a $25,000 lump sum payment when you are diagnosed. Firefighters who are eventually diagnosed with more than one form of cancer can only receive the lump sum payment once. There may also be entitlement to survivor benefits if your loved one did not survive their fight with cancer.
The cancer benefit will reimburse any copayments, coinsurance, or deductibles related to your health treatment. Your employer must provide the same time off and job retention policies as you would receive if you were suffering from any line-of-duty injury or illness. Other provisions cover disability and death benefits.
If you claim your firefighter’s cancer benefits and they are delayed or denied, contact a Florida attorney at our firm immediately. We even urge you to contact us as soon as you are diagnosed so we can guide you through the process and ensure you get your benefits in a timely manner.
A cancer diagnosis can turn your world upside down. The firefighter cancer benefit can at least alleviate some of your financial concerns, giving you the time and space to focus on healing.
Reach out to a Florida firefighter cancer benefit lawyer at Bichler & Longo when you get your diagnosis. We can explain your benefits, help you access them, and support you and your family at a very difficult time.