Many people believe working as a teacher or educator is one of the safest forms of employment. While teachers do not typically face catastrophic injury risks, they do suffer from workplace injuries, many of them affecting their ability to work.
Common injuries and illnesses teachers experience include:
- Sick building syndrome
- Repetitive movement injuries (carpal tunnel syndrome, etc.)
- Broken bones from trips, slips and falls
- Back pain from lifting, moving, etc.
- Work-related emotional or mental stress
- Overexertion or exhaustion injuries
If you are a teacher or considering such a career, it is wise to understand whether workers’ compensation will protect you if an injury occurs.
Florida workers’ comp information for schoolteachers
As you may know, workers’ compensation benefits are available to most employees in Florida. The law applies to teachers employed by an educational facility. A successful claim provides you with benefits like medical care coverage and the replacement of a portion of wages lost due to the injury.
According to state workers’ compensation laws, you have 30 days to report the injury to your employer. You should report all incidents even when they seem minor and do not require medical attention. That way, if your symptoms worsen, you still have two years to file a claim for that injury. In some situations, you may have the right to file a claim even if the two years have expired.
Many teachers in Vero Beach ignore workplace injuries. They do not want to make their students suffer over something that does not seem critical. However, the best way to serve your students is to remain fit and healthy enough to continue contributing to their education.
We recommend learning more about filing a workers’ compensation claim in Florida. If you ever suffer an on-the-job injury, you will already be prepared to start your claim.