State data: Nearly 5K COVID-19 workers’ comp claims filed in 2020 remain open

Jimmy Patronis gets a nice boost in his bid for re-election. Image via CFO's Office.

Nearly 5,000 people who filed COVID-19-related workers’ compensation claims in 2020 have cases that still remain open, according to the latest available state data.

As of May 30, 29,836 COVID-19 workers compensation claims initially filed in 2020 had been closed, and $58,891,866 in claims had been paid to employees infected on the job to cover their lost wages and medical treatment, according to data maintained by the Department of Financial Services (DFS). DFS is headed by Chief Financial Officer Jimmy Patronis.

But there were another 4,950 COVID-19-related claims initially filed in 2020 that remain open; that’s about 14% of the total number of COVID-19-related workers’ compensation claims involving lost work time filed that year.

The open 2020 workers compensation claims account for 57% of the 8,613 open COVID-19-related claims workers’ compensation claims in the state as of May 30.

By contrast, there were 64,067 closed COVID-19-related workers compensation claims filed since the pandemic, and 2020 claims account for just 15% of the closed claims total.

While 4,950 workers compensation claims from 2020 remain open as of May 30, progress is being made. There were 5,614 open COVID-19-related workers’ comp claims from 2020 as of March 30. And there were 6,046 open COVID-19-related workers’ compensation claims initially filed in 2020 as of Jan 31.

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system designed to get care to employees who are injured on the job and to protect employers from lawsuits. Most Florida employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance.