Chronic Conditions and Workers’ Comp in Florida What Counts and Why Claims Get Questioned

Bryan Greenberg Personal Injury Workers’ Compensation

Many Florida workers hesitate to file a workers’ compensation claim because nothing dramatic ever happened. There was no fall, no crash, no single moment they can point to. Instead, the pain crept in—week by week, year by year—until it became part of everyday life.

This is one of the most common patterns we see in workers’ compensation cases involving chronic or gradual injuries. A sore wrist that never fully heals. Back pain that worsens with every shift. Shoulder stiffness that builds after years of repetitive work.

When injuries develop this way, workers often doubt themselves before anyone else does. In our experience, insurance companies sometimes reinforce that doubt early by focusing on labels like pre-existing, even when job duties clearly played a role in how the condition developed.

“Some of the most serious workers’ compensation cases we see never involve a single accident. Over decades of representing Florida workers, we’ve seen how repetitive tasks, long shifts, and physical demands quietly wear the body down until pain can’t be ignored.”
— Brian O. Sutter, Board Certified Florida Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Do Chronic Conditions Qualify for Workers’ Comp in Florida

Yes. Chronic conditions can qualify for Florida workers’ compensation, even when symptoms develop slowly or overlap with prior diagnoses.

One of the most common misconceptions we see is the belief that a condition must be entirely new to count. That is not how Florida workers’ comp operates.

A condition may exist before employment and still be compensable if work activities meaningfully worsened it. The real question is whether work contributed in a significant way—not whether it was the only cause.

Florida workers’ compensation law recognizes that an injury or condition does not have to be caused solely by work. If job duties are a major contributing factor in worsening a condition, benefits may still be available, even when degeneration or prior issues exist.

In practical terms, this means:
• Chronic does not mean excluded
• Pre-existing does not mean denied
• The absence of a single accident does not automatically end a claim

“A condition doesn’t have to start at work to be covered. What matters is whether the job made it meaningfully worse. We often see insurers focus on what existed before employment while overlooking how the work itself accelerated the problem.”
— Bryan Greenberg, Board Certified Florida Workers’ Compensation Attorney

This is why many Florida workers file claims even when there was no clear accident date.

Types of Chronic Conditions Commonly Covered by Florida Workers’ Comp

Workers often struggle to see their situation reflected in generic explanations. The categories below reflect chronic and gradual injuries we regularly see in Florida workers’ compensation cases.

Repetitive Stress Injuries Caused by Ongoing Job Duties

Repetitive stress injuries develop through repeated motions performed day after day.

Common examples include carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, rotator cuff injuries, and wrist or elbow overuse conditions.

In Southwest Florida, these claims are especially common among healthcare workers, warehouse and logistics employees, and tradespeople whose jobs involve constant lifting, gripping, or repetitive motion. We often see symptoms dismissed early as part of the job until they interfere with basic work tasks.

“We often hear workers say, ‘I thought this was just part of the job.’ Repetitive stress injuries are easy to dismiss early on, but by the time workers seek help, the damage is often significant—and very real.”
— Brian O. Sutter

Degenerative Spine and Joint Conditions Worsened by Work Activities

Degenerative spine and joint conditions are among the most misunderstood chronic workers’ comp issues in Florida.

These may include degenerative disc disease, arthritis, or age-related spinal changes. Degeneration alone does not create a claim. But when job duties such as lifting, bending, twisting, or prolonged standing aggravate symptoms, the condition may still qualify.

In practice, these disputes often arise when imaging shows degeneration, but work activities clearly coincide with increased pain, reduced function, or the need for treatment.

“Degeneration is one of the first labels insurance companies reach for. But we’ve seen many cases where demanding work duties clearly worsened a degenerative condition, even when imaging showed pre-existing changes.”
— Bryan Greenberg

Chronic Back and Neck Pain Linked to Physical Labor

Many chronic back and neck claims begin with discomfort workers try to push through.

These injuries are common in warehouse work, caregiving, construction, and skilled trades. Pain often progresses slowly. What starts as soreness can turn into restricted movement, missed work, or an inability to perform job duties safely.

Occupational Diseases and Conditions Caused by Repeated Exposure

Some chronic conditions develop through repeated exposure rather than physical strain. These may include respiratory issues from dust or chemicals, skin conditions from repeated contact with irritants, or other exposure-based illnesses.

These claims often require more documentation, but they can still qualify when workplace exposure plays a meaningful role in the condition.

Chronic and Pre-Existing Conditions That Are Often Challenged by Insurance Companies

From our experience handling Florida workers’ compensation claims, certain factors tend to trigger closer review in chronic condition cases.

These commonly include:
• Prior diagnoses or old injuries
• Delayed symptom reporting
• Gaps in medical treatment
• Age-related degeneration

These factors raise questions. They do not automatically eliminate eligibility.

Why Insurance Companies Dispute Chronic Condition Workers’ Comp Claims

Chronic conditions are evaluated differently than sudden injuries because causation is harder to measure when symptoms build over time.

In Florida workers’ comp cases, disputes often arise early—sometimes before a worker has received consistent treatment—especially when there is no single accident date.

Common reasons include labeling the condition as pre-existing, emphasizing the lack of a specific incident, relying heavily on independent medical exams, or selectively reviewing medical records.

“Chronic condition claims aren’t questioned because they’re rare. They’re questioned because they require closer analysis. That often leaves workers feeling doubted even when their pain is genuine.”
— Brian O. Sutter

What Helps Support a Chronic Condition Workers’ Comp Claim

No single factor guarantees approval. Still, certain steps often help support chronic condition claims.

These include reporting symptoms as soon as possible, staying consistent with medical care, clearly describing job duties, obtaining treating physician opinions that connect work to symptoms, and avoiding long gaps in treatment when possible.

Together, these details help show how work activities and symptoms developed over time.

When a Workers’ Comp Attorney May Be Helpful for Chronic Conditions

Some chronic condition claims move forward smoothly. Others become complicated.

“Most workers hope their claim will be straightforward. When it isn’t—when doctors disagree or benefits are cut off—that’s usually when legal guidance becomes important.”
— Bryan Greenberg

Legal guidance may be helpful when a claim is denied or delayed, when an independent medical exam conflicts with a treating doctor, when benefits are reduced, or when a worker feels pressured to return to work too soon.

For more than 35 years, All Injuries Law Firm has represented injured workers throughout Southwest Florida. Attorneys Brian O. Sutter and Bryan Greenberg are Florida Bar board-certified workers’ compensation attorneys, a distinction reserved for attorneys with substantial experience handling complex and disputed claims.

Chronic Work-Related Conditions Deserve Serious Consideration

Not all work injuries happen in a single moment. Many develop quietly over time, especially in physically demanding or repetitive jobs.

Florida workers’ compensation can cover chronic and gradual injuries, even when they are questioned early. Over decades of representing injured workers across Southwest Florida, we’ve seen that the biggest obstacle is often not the law—but the assumption that gradual pain doesn’t qualify.

In reality, many valid claims involve conditions that build slowly and quietly. Understanding how Florida workers’ comp looks at those conditions, and recognizing when work duties truly matter, can make a meaningful difference in what happens next.

For a broader explanation of how Florida handles these cases, see our cornerstone guide: Can You Get Florida Workers’ Comp for Chronic Conditions?

Learn more about our workers’ compensation practice: Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Learn About Our Board-Certified Workers Compensation Attorneys

Brian O. Sutter
Bryan Greenberg

Contact: Contact All Injuries Law Firm
This content is general information and not legal advice.