The Florida workers’ compensation attorneys at Farah & Farah have learned that the ex-police chief of Miami Beach, the current president of the Fraternal Order of Police, and two past police officers have filed a class-action lawsuit against the City of Miami Beach in a dispute over workers’ compensation benefit payments.
The lawsuit, which was filed in Broward Circuit Court, claims that Miami Beach acted in bad faith when they worked with their workers’ compensation agent and doctors to deny the plaintiffs the full benefit payments they deserved under Florida’s Heart Law. The Heart Law provides workers’ compensation benefits to police officers and firefighters who suffer from hypertension or heart disease on the job.
The plaintiff’s attorneys claim that the City of Miami Beach had sent the law enforcement personnel letters indicating that the payments would be made in a timely fashion. However, they were not — which is a violation of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. According to the suit, the officers eventually received payments, but not the full amount to which they were entitled.
The lawsuit goes on to state, “Instead of paying the impairment benefits, Defendant City of Miami Beach decided to place its profits over the health, welfare, and well-being of the very same law-enforcement officers it relies on.”
The Miami Beach City Attorney fired off a memo in response to the lawsuit describing it as without merit and “farce.” One of the plaintiff’s attorneys fired back stating that the lawsuit is valid and that the City Attorney should have done his homework before sending the memo to city commissioners and administrators.
Have you been denied your rightful workers’ compensation benefits? Due to restrictions placed on fees workers’ compensation attorneys can collect in Florida, many law firms have stopped taking such cases, but not the law team at Farah & Farah. Our knowledgeable workers’ compensation lawyers believe that you have the right to be entitled to your full benefits. If you have been sickened or injured on the job, we will fight diligently to see that those rights are protected.
If you have questions about your workers’ compensation case and your legal options, call Farah & Farah at (800) 533-3555.
