Frontline workers are the critical employees who most often directly help others. They include firefighters, paramedics, utility workers, and others who work so the rest of us have access to essential services. Unfortunately, the nature of their duties often exposes them to occupational hazards that can lead to injuries or illnesses.
At Flaxman Law Group, we stand by frontline workers and may be able to help if you’re a frontline worker injured on the job. We’re pleased to offer a free accident consultation to workers who have been injured and who are wondering if they have a workers’ compensation claim. Just contact our family-based law firm to speak to an experienced Florida workers’ compensation lawyer.
Risks Faced by Frontline Workers
Frontline workers, including healthcare professionals, first responders, and essential service providers, are exposed to more occupational risks than typical workers. For example, nurses, doctors, and other healthcare professionals may face physical injuries due to patient handling, exposure to infectious diseases, or workplace violence.
Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics are exposed to dangerous situations that can result in burns, fractures, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). They’re more likely to be exposed to dangerous substances that can cause cancer and other serious illness. They can also be more at risk of hypertension because of the stress of their jobs.
Workers in essential services, including delivery drivers and utility workers, may encounter hazards such as slips and falls, lifting injuries, or exposure to harmful substances.
Workers’ Compensation and Frontline Workers
Workers’ compensation is designed to provide wage loss and medical benefits to employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. For frontline workers, these benefits are crucial because these employees are both more likely to suffer injury on the job and are at higher risk of serious injury.
Most frontline workers are covered by workers’ compensation. In the event of a workplace injury, these workers will want to protect their right to benefits by taking the following actions:
- Report any work-related injuries or illnesses promptly to their employer.
- Seek prompt medical attention.
- File a workers’ compensation claim with the employer or the employer’s insurance carrier.
Frontline workers may be eligible for various benefits, including medical treatment coverage, disability benefits for lost wages, vocational rehabilitation, and compensation for permanent disabilities.
In addition, there are Florida laws which may give frontline workers additional support. Under Florida Statute §112.18, for example, any injury suffered by a “fire control district firefighter or any law enforcement officer, correctional officer, or correctional probation officer as defined in s. 943.10(1), (2), or (3) caused by tuberculosis, heart disease, or hypertension resulting in total or partial disability or death shall be presumed to have been accidental and to have been suffered in the line of duty unless the contrary be shown by competent evidence.”
This law could help some frontline workers the chance to seek workers’ compensation for hypertension and other illnesses which may be hard to prove are work-related. The caveat is that the statute also requires eligible frontline workers to have had no evidence of the illness at the time they were hired. Therefore, a firefighter who had slightly elevated blood pressure at the time they started their job may struggle to get benefits if their job caused their condition to get worse.
And this is the problem. Frontline workers who have been injured due to exposure, violence, or other harm in the workplace may have a hard time getting their rightful benefits. This is why you may want to contact Flaxman Law Group if you’re a frontline worker injured on the job. Employers and insurance companies are looking for ways to save money and they can scrutinize workers’ compensation claims to the point that legitimate claims are denied.
At Flaxman Law Group, our family-based legal team (which includes a father-son attorney team) has more than six decades of experience and a track record of more than $100 million recovered in court wins and settlements for our clients. We know how to go toe to toe with insurance companies because our attorneys have worked for insurance companies and know how the law works from both sides of the courtroom. Contact us at 866-352-9626 to schedule a free accident consultation with a Hollywood workers’ compensation lawyer.