By: Selena Belisle, Owner/Instructor CE Institute LLC, Miami FL
The Florida State Worker’s Compensation Division is a government agency that oversees the execution of workers’ compensation.
The Florida State Workers’ Compensation Division’s GOAL is to actively ensure the self-execution of the workers' compensation system by:
- educating system participants of their rights and responsibilities
- leveraging data to deliver exceptional value
- holding participants accountable for fulfilling their obligations.[i]
You can contact the Florida State’s Workers’ Compensation Division directly at:
Phone: 850/413-1613
Fax: 850/413-1982
Email: workers.compmedservice@myfloridacfo.com
Website: www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/WC/
Injured Worker Responsibilities
If you have an accident or are injured on the job you must:
- Tell your employer you have been injured, as soon as possible. The law requires that you report the accident or your knowledge of a job-related injury within 30 days of your knowledge of the accident or injury, or within 30 days of a doctor determining you are suffering from a work-related injury.
- When you do so, you must ask your employer what doctor you can see. You must see a doctor authorized by your employer or the insurance company.
- Your employer may tell you to call the insurance company handling your claim; the name and phone number should be on the “Broken Arm” poster that should be posted at your workplace.
- If it is an emergency and your employer is not available to tell you where to go for treatment, go to the nearest emergency room and let your employer know as soon as possible what has happened.
- After you or your employer report the injury to the insurance company, many companies will have an insurance claim adjuster call you within 24 hours to explain your rights and obligations.
If you receive a message and a number to call, you should call as soon as possible to find out what you need to do to get medical treatment.
- Within 3-5 business days after you or your employer report the accident, you should receive an informational brochure explaining your rights and obligations, and a Notification Letter explaining the services provided by the Employee Assistance Office of the Division of Workers’ Compensation. These forms may be part of a packet which may include some or all of the following:
- A copy of your accident report or “First Report of Injury or Illness,” which you should read to make sure it is correct;
- A fraud statement, which you must read, sign and return as soon as possible, or benefits may be temporarily withheld until you do so;
- A release of medical records for you to sign and return; and
- Medical mileage reimbursement forms that you should fill out, after seeking medical treatment, and send to your claims adjuster for reimbursement.
If you do not receive a call or the information packet from the insurance company, you can call the workers’ compensation hotline for assistance at 1-800-342-1741.
Your employer is required by law to report your injury to the insurance company within 7 days of when you report your accident or injury. If they do not do this, and they do not give you a phone number for the insurance company to call, you can call the workers’ compensation (WC) hotline for assistance at 1-800-342-1741.
The entire contents of this single Worker's Compensation BLOG Post was taken directly from the Florida State Workers’ Compensation Website in May 2018. You should check with your worker's compensation plan, employer and/or Florida State’s Workers’ Compensation Division for any updates to rules or regulations regarding workers compensation.
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This BLOG was written by Selena Belisle, the Founder of CE Institute LLC in Miami FL. She is a retired professional athlete and has been practicing massage therapy for over 30 years. Selena is an approved CE Provider with NCBTMB & the Florida Board of Massage. She now teaches full time for the Complementary and Alternative Health Care Industries. You can learn more about Selena’s training and CE classes at www.CeInstitute.com
[i] “About the Division.” Frequently Asked Questions, Retrieved online: 17 May 2018, www.myfloridacfo.com/Division/WC/contactUs.htm.
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