Lutz FL Workers Compensation Lawyer

Disabled people are eligible for life-changing benefits.

“Disability” is a life-changing and complex word. Everyday tasks, like going to work and socializing with friends and family, suddenly become impossible. Furthermore, a “disability” is not just a medical term. The D-word also has educational, vocational, and other implications. Similarly, the line between “disabled” and “not disabled” is fuzzy. Many injuries become disabling over time, and many people continue working after they’re technically disabled.

The compassionate Lutz personal injury lawyers at the Rooth Law Firm understand how a disability affects a family. Many people on our professional team have gone through similar experiences. This compassion motivates us to work extra hard to obtain the compensation you and your family need and deserve. This process begins with a thorough case evaluation, which our experienced lawyers have done many times before.

Workers’ Compensation Nuts and Bolts

Work-related vehicle collisions are one of the leading causes of workplace injuries. These incidents include vehicle-on-vehicle collisions on dangerous roads and vehicle-on-pedestrian collisions in busy parking lots.

Some car crash injuries completely heal. Others do not. Whether the disability is temporary or permanent, a Lutz personal injury lawyer can usually obtain benefits for:

• Lost Wages: Usually, workers’ compensation pays two-thirds of a victim’s average weekly wage (AWW) for the duration of a temporary or permanent disability. If the victim can work part-time or in a lower-paying, light-duty role, the victim receives two-thirds of the difference between the old and new AWWs. Significantly, the AWW is based not only on prior wages but also on future wages, such as missed overtime opportunities and projected salary increases.
• Medical Bills: The medical bills in a serious injury case usually exceed $40,000. Most group health plans exclude these costs. Workers’ compensation fills in the gap. These benefits pay all reasonably necessary medical expenses, from the first moment of emergency transportation to the last day of physical therapy.

Workers’ compensation is no-fault insurance. Therefore, insurance companies generally cannot contest liability if the injury or illness was work-related. However, they almost always challenge the amount of compensation.

Medical expenses are a good example. To many insurance adjusters, “reasonably necessary” is simply another way of saying “cheapest available.”

Social Security Disability Nuts and Bolts

Likewise, car crashes are one of the leading causes of SSD claims. Regardless of who was at fault, the Social Security Administration gives similar benefits (monthly cash and Medicaid eligibility) to disabled victims.

We mentioned the complex definition of “disabled” above. The Social Security Administration defines a disability as:

• A medical condition precludes SGA (substantial gainful activity),
• The applicant’s medical condition removes all other SGA options (you can’t work another job), and
• The applicant’s medical condition is expected to last at least one year or is terminal.

State Disability Determination Services officers ask five questions to transfer these general rules to an applicant’s specific condition:

• Do you earn less than $1,500 per month?
• Is your disability severe (significantly limits the ability to do basic work-related activities, such as lifting, standing, walking, sitting, or remembering)?
• Do you have a listed condition (a Lutz personal injury lawyer can substitute a similar condition for a listed condition)?
• Can you do the work you did previously?
• Can you do any other kind of SGA work?

Usually, the monthly cash award is retroactive to the onset date. Many disabled people try to “tough it out” for months or years before they apply for SSD benefits. So, the back pay amount could be substantial.

Count on an Experienced Hillsborough County Workers Compensation Lawyer

Victims need and deserve compensation for their injuries. For a confidential consultation with a Board Certified workers’ compensation lawyer in Lutz, contact the Rooth Law Firm. We routinely handle matters in Pasco County and nearby jurisdictions.