Have you been hurt in a workplace accident in Vero Beach, Florida? You may be eligible for compensation to cover lost wages, medical bills, and other expenses. Contact the Graves Thomas Injury Law Group at (772) 758-5735 for a free consultation with a Vero Beach workers’ compensation lawyer.
If you’ve already started a workers’ comp claim—or if you’re unsure whether you qualify—we’re here to guide you. Our team has years of experience helping injured workers in Vero Beach and throughout Florida recover the benefits they’re entitled to. Let us help you understand your rights and fight for the benefits you deserve.
Why Hire Graves Thomas Injury Law Group to Handle Your Vero Beach Workers’ Compensation Claim
While you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, your employer’s insurance company won’t hesitate to deny your claim or try to find a way to minimize your financial award. Workers and families in Vero Beach, FL, trust Graves Thomas Injury Law Group with these high-stakes legal disputes.
Here’s why:
- We are award-winning trial attorneys with over 50 years of combined experience.
- We’ve forced insurance carriers to pay our clients hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits, settlements, and jury awards at trial.
- Lead Attorney Joe Graves is a Florida Bar Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney, a distinction only one percent of all Florida Bar members attain.
- We’re local to Vero Beach and ingrained in the local community. This means we’re fighting for our neighbors, their friends, and their families.
- Our passion, drive, and multi-million dollar track record have earned us honors and accolades, including inclusion as Super Lawyers, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum members, and Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent litigators.
- More than 130 former clients have left five-star reviews that highlight the countless benefits of working with our law firm.
It’s important to begin your fight for benefits as soon as you can, so don’t hesitate to reach out to our Vero Beach personal injury attorneys today. We offer a free consultation.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a private insurance system that allows employees to receive benefits for work-related injuries or illnesses, without having to sue their employer. This system helps cover medical expenses, lost wages, and disability, streamlining recovery without the delays of a personal injury lawsuit. In Florida, most employers with four or more employees must carry workers’ compensation insurance. Construction companies are held to a stricter standard and must provide coverage if they employ even one worker.
Do I Qualify for Workers’ Compensation Benefits?
Not all workers will qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Benefits can be awarded when workers satisfy the following requirements:
- Classified as an employee, not an independent contractor
- Employed by a company that’s required to carry workers’ compensation insurance
- Suffer an injury while performing tasks or responsibilities within the scope of your employment
You can qualify for workers’ compensation benefits if you’re not injured at your place of employment. The most important thing is that you’re injured within the scope of your employment.
For example, benefits can be awarded if you’re hurt in a car accident or truck accident while working at the time of the crash. On the other hand, benefits would not be available if you got hurt on your own personal time, like when you were commuting to or from work or while running errands on your lunch break.
Can I Get Workers’ Compensation Benefits if I’m Partly To Blame for My Workplace Injury?
Yes. Workers’ compensation offers no-fault benefits. Employees are entitled to full benefits regardless of shared fault. However, this comes at a cost. The no-fault system means that you waive the right to sue your employer, even if they contributed to your workplace injury.
If you decide to seek additional compensation through a third-party lawsuit, Florida’s modified comparative fault rule will apply. In these situations, your damages can be reduced proportionately to fault up to 50 percent. If your shared fault exceeds half, you lose the ability to demand monetary damages from a liable third party.
What Benefits Does Workers’ Compensation Pay?
Workers’ compensation benefits can be a critical lifeline when you’re injured on the job in Vero Beach. However, compensation is limited to certain economic losses, including medical bills, lost wages, and disability.
Medical Expenses
Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance company should cover all reasonable and necessary medical bills related to your workplace injury. This can include money for emergency room treatment, hospitalization, surgery, medication, medical devices, follow-up care, and specialist visits. In some situations, chiropractic care can be covered, too.
You must receive medical care from approved healthcare providers. Benefits may not be awarded if you go outside of the insurance company’s network or want alternative treatments.
Lost Wage Benefits
Workers’ compensation can help to offset the temporary and/or permanent wage loss you experience because of a work-related injury or illness.
This could compensate you as follows:
- Temporary Total Disability: TTD benefits equal up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage
- Temporary Partial Disability: TPD benefits equal up to 80 percent of the difference between your pre- and post-injury wages
- Permanent Partial Disability: PPD benefits are paid to offset a loss of income related to a permanent impairment, such as the loss of a limb or a serious cognitive or physical disability
- Permanent Total Disability: PTD benefits equal two-thirds of your average weekly wage until the age of 75 (in most situations)
Wage replacement benefits are subject to statutory caps. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit for TTD and PTD benefits is $1,295.
How Much Is My Workers’ Compensation Claim Worth?
It’ll depend on a lot of factors, including:
- The type of injury you suffered
- The severity of your injury
- The type of medical treatment you’ll need
- How long you’ll need medical care before reaching Maximum Medical Improvement (MMI)
- The amount of time you’ll miss at work while you recover
- Whether you suffer a permanent impairment or disability
- Your age
- Your average weekly wage for the year prior to your workplace accident
The more severely you’re injured and the longer you miss time at work, the more you can expect to receive in workers’ compensation benefits. However, keep in mind that workers’ compensation benefits are limited in scope and duration.
If you want to recover the full value of your damages, you’ll need to consider pursuing additional compensation through a related workplace accident lawsuit.
What Does It Cost To Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Vero Beach?
Whether you’ve been injured in a slip and fall, in a construction accident, or because of a defective product in the workplace, it won’t cost you a thing out of pocket to ask Graves Thomas Injury Law Group for help. Our Vero Beach workers’ compensation attorneys represent clients on a contingency fee basis.
You pay nothing until we win compensation for you. This arrangement allows you to hire award-winning legal representation without added financial stress. If we don’t win your claim, you pay nothing at all.
What Is the Statute of Limitations for Workers’ Compensation Claims in Florida?
You’ll have two years to file for workers’ compensation benefits after a workplace accident in Florida. However, your right to seek benefits is only preserved if you reported your injury to your employer within 30 days of getting hurt.
You can lose the opportunity to recover benefits if you miss the reporting deadline or filing deadline. So, it’s important to reach out to an experienced workers’ compensation attorney near you in Vero Beach, FL, as soon as you can.
Schedule a Free Consultation With an Experienced Vero Beach Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Call Graves Thomas Injury Law Group for assistance if you’ve suffered injuries in a work-related accident in Vero Beach, Florida. You may qualify for monetary benefits to help you pay for medical care and reduce the stress of lost wages.
As trial-tested personal injury attorneys, we’ve helped clients stand up to multinational corporations and win hundreds of millions in damages. Discover how our top-rated legal team can make a meaningful difference in your life in the aftermath of a serious work injury, too.
We offer a free consultation with a Vero Beach workers’ compensation lawyer. Contact our office for assistance today.
