Florida Injury Attorneys Blog
A Florida Court has held that an illegal alien who was injured on the job is entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. In the case of HDV Const. Systems, Inc. v. Aragon, 66 So. 3d 331 (Fla. 1st DCA 2011), the Claimant, Luis Aragon, was an illegal alien who was injured while working as a framer. As he was working, he fell from a height of 30 feet and sustained numerous fractures to his left foot and left forearm.
Mr. Aragon was severely injured and received extensive medical treatment, including the implantation of a spinal cord stimulator. The doctors determined that the fall left him with severe permanent injuries, which included complex regional pain syndrome in the left foot accompanied by constant pain, nerve injury, and discoloration. Because of his injuries, the doctors determined that Mr. Aragon had permanent restrictions which would limit him to sedentary work only, meaning that he would be unable to perform any of his pre-injury occupations, which included construction, farming, and manufacturing.
Luis Aragon did not have a valid Visa and was living in the United States illegally. In addition, he had no driver’s license, had a limited education, was unable to speak, read, or write in English, and had no transferrable skills which would assist him in obtaining the sedentary employment to which he had been restricted by his doctors. Continue reading →