Working at a harbor means accepting increased workplace risk. Harbor workers operate in a dangerous environment in which severe injury might only be a single mistake away.
Most employees working in Florida have the protection of workers’ compensation insurance. If something goes wrong on the job, they can seek benefits to cover their treatment costs and their lost wages. The rules are slightly different for those who work in a maritime environment or very close to one.
Injured harbor workers may be eligible for benefits that cover their treatment expenses after an injury and help them pay the cost of their living expenses until they return to work. As is the case in any work injury scenario, the support of a medical professional is important. Who selects the physician providing medical care to an injured harbor employee?
The rules are different for harbor workers
Harbor workers do not have the same standard protections as other professionals. The location where they perform their job and their proximity to maritime vessels create a legal gray area. Federal lawmakers addressed the potential gap in protections years ago by adopting the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act.
Under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, injured harbor workers can seek benefits similar to those available through Florida’s workers’ compensation program through a federal system. They can receive medical treatment and may be eligible for disability benefits.
However, they are subject to vastly different rules than land-based employees making use of standard workers’ compensation benefits. In Florida, employers or their insurance providers typically select the medical professionals providing the care to the injured worker.
Injured harbor workers are subject to the federal rules established under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act, not Florida’s workers’ compensation regulations. Provided that the injured employee follows the right process, they can seek treatment from any medical professional they designate as their care provider. They can select the doctor instead of relying on a physician chosen by their employer.
Ultimately, the federal rules may be more beneficial for professionals with work-related injuries than the state rules that empower employers or insurance providers to make key decisions. Learning more about the rules that apply to injured harbor workers’ claims may help such professionals get the support they need to recover from a work injury.