Workers Comp Claims at Risk with Upsurge of COVID-19 Claims
September 30, 2020
Businesses throughout New Port Richey continue to reopen, despite ongoing concerns regarding COVID-19. Employees who end up being exposed to the virus could find themselves seriously ill and unable to work. While they may be eligible for workers’ compensation, problems in the current system could put your rights to benefits at risk.
COVID-19 Results in Increased Workers’ Compensation Claims
Life in New Port Richey has slowly started to return to normal after months of disruptions due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Many businesses have reopened, but there are still concerns about the high number of cases. According to recent statistics from the Florida Department of Health, close to 700,000 people in Florida have been infected.
In Pasco County along, nearly 9,000 people have tested positive for COVID-19. Many of these new cases are occurring among employees returning to their jobs. If there is clear reason to believe that a worker contracted the virus on the job site, they may be entitled to benefits available through the Florida Workers’ Compensation Commission.
In addition to helping offset your losses in income, workers compensation benefits can help to ensure your medical expenses are covered. The program can also provide you with ongoing financial support and other types of services in the event of permanent disabilities associated with the coronavirus. However, with the large number of cases and people applying for workers’ compensation in new Port Richey, the system is becoming overwhelmed. Unfortunately, this could put your rights to these benefits in jeopardy.
Workers’ Compensation Claims Overwhelm System
As workers testing positive for COVID-19 drive up the number of workers’ compensation claims in Florida and across the country, there are increasing reports of problems in obtaining benefits. According to a September 2020 report by The Intercept, the large number of claims have overwhelmed the workers’ comp system in many states, resulting in lengthy delays in the approval process and larger numbers of denied claims. Common problems that are being reported include:
- Disagreements concerning whether the worker contracted COVID-19 on the job;
- Delays in processing claims due to failure to obtain testing reports and other types of medical evidence;
- Disputes regarding the impact the illness is likely to have on workers and the amount of time they will need to remain on unemployment;
- Shortages within the system itself, as workers’ compensation commissions find themselves having to extend benefits to record high numbers of people.
A New Port Richey Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help
In dealing with the potentially devastating impacts of COVID-19, workers’ compensation benefits can provide a lifeline, ensuring you and your family have what you need. As an experienced, board-certified New Port Richey workers’ compensation attorney, a distinction that fewer than one percent of all Florida lawyers have, Joseph Rooth is uniquely qualified to provide the aggressive legal representation you need. Call or contact our office online and request a consultation today.