A bill that makes it easier for companies who don’t have enough workers’ comp to continue operating unanimously passed the Senate on Wednesday, April 30, and was off to the governor’s office to be signed into law. According to an article from The Florida Current, construction companies and other businesses who are issued a stop-work order by the state for not carrying enough workers’ comp insurance will be able, under the new law, to pay a $1,000 down payment on their fine and agree to a payment plan. The stop-work order will then be released.
Additionally, the time that businesses have to respond to requests for records by the Department of Financial Services will be increased from five days to ten days. Under the new law, investigators will now have two years to review a company’s workers’ compensation records. Previously, the time limit was three years. The multiplier for determining a business’ fine will be increased from 1.5 to 2, the article stated.
If you’re injured at work, you’re entitled to workers’ compensation benefits that can help cover the cost of your medical bills and provide support to you while you are injured and unable to work. Although your employer is required to carry sufficient insurance to cover you, getting the amount of money that you’re due is often a complex issue. In addition to the employer not having the adequate amount of coverage, employees filing workers’ compensation claims often run into other problems with their employer, such as employers who don’t file the claims in a timely manner or give misinformation to the insurance carrier. Additional problems can be encountered when dealing with insurance carriers who don’t want to pay the full amount due.
A skilled attorney can level the playing field and help you to receive the maximum amount of benefits that you can receive. DDB Law puts decades of experience on your side. For more information on how we can help you with your workers’ comp claim, contact us today.