Workers’ Compensation Benefits For Back And Spinal Injuries
A back injury at work can make even routine movements painful. A fall, heavy lift or repeated strain can cause lasting pain, limit your ability to work and leave you worried about medical bills and lost income. If you hurt your back on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.
At Hilado Law, PLLC, we have spent more than 30 years representing injured and disabled people in Orlando and Central Florida. We understand the questions that can arise when an insurance company challenges a back injury, from whether your condition came from your job to whether you need the treatment your doctor recommends. We know how to navigate those disputes and pursue the benefits available under Florida workers’ compensation.
We frequently represent workers who have suffered work-related back injuries, such as:
- Herniated or bulging discs
- Lumbar strains and sprains
- Sciatica and pinched nerves
- Fractured vertebrae from falls
- Spinal cord injuries
- Chronic back pain from repetitive lifting
Whether your injury happened suddenly or developed over time, the circumstances and medical evidence can play an important role in your workers’ compensation claim.
Does Workers’ Comp Cover A Herniated Disc Or Back Injury In Florida?
Florida workers’ compensation may cover a back injury caused by your work. A sudden injury from lifting or a fall may qualify. A condition caused by repetitive work may also qualify, but Florida law sets specific requirements for claims involving repetitive exposure. You generally need medical evidence connecting your condition to your job.
Your doctor’s records can provide important evidence about your condition and how your work caused or contributed to it. If repetitive work contributed to your injury, learn more about repetitive stress injuries.
What If The Insurance Company Denies Your Back Surgery Or Blames A Preexisting Condition?
An insurance company may deny surgery or argue that your back condition existed before the work injury. A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan can show a herniated disc or nerve compression, but the insurer may claim the findings are age-related. Your doctor’s explanation of how your work caused or worsened the condition can counter that argument.
The insurer may also send you to an independent medical examination (IME) with a doctor it selects. That doctor’s opinion may minimize your injury or support a denial, but an IME is not the final word. Other medical evidence can challenge the opinion.
If the insurer denies or does not authorize surgery or points to a preexisting condition, our attorneys can review the medical evidence and challenge the insurer’s position. If your work aggravated or worsened a prior condition, you may still qualify for benefits when the work injury remains the major contributing cause of your disability or need for treatment.
What Benefits Can You Receive For A Spinal Injury Under Florida Workers’ Comp?
A back or spine injury can affect more than your physical health. If the injury keeps you from working or requires ongoing care, workers’ compensation may provide benefits to cover your medical treatment and some of the income you lose. Depending on your injury and circumstances, workers’ compensation benefits may include:
- Medical treatment for your work-related injury
- Wage-loss benefits if your injury affects your ability to work
- Permanent impairment benefits if your injury leaves you with permanent impairment
The benefits available to you depend on the nature and severity of your injury, and how it affects your ability to work.
Get Help With Your Back Injury Claim
A back injury can affect your ability to work, earn a living and recover fully. If the insurance company has denied treatment, questioned whether your injury is work-related or blamed a preexisting condition, you do not have to handle the dispute on your own. Hilado Law, PLLC, can review your situation, explain your options and work to address the issues affecting your claim.
Call us at 407-634-5848 or send us an email for a free consultation with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.