Photo of Spencer Shaw

Spencer is a staff attorney in the firm’s Fort Myers office and focuses her practice in workers’ compensation defense. She represents public and private employers throughout Florida at every stage of defending a workers’ compensation claim, from making sure  employers file and respond with proper documentation to preparing witnesses for deposition and trial. Spencer is admitted to practice in all Florida state courts.

While in law school, Spencer served as Editor-in-Chief of the Ave Maria School of Law International Law Journal and Treasurer of Phi Alpha Delta. She also served as a teacher’s assistant to Professor Peter Carfagna in areas of Advanced Contract Drafting and Advanced Sports Law.

Spencer served as a staff attorney’s intern for the 20th Judicial Circuit Court, and an intern for Safari Club International. She also serves as co-chair of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section. Spencer was a recipient of Ave Maria School of Law’s Dean’s Scholarship.

Spencer was born and raised in Southwest Florida, graduating from Naples High School, Florida Gulf Coast University and Ave Maria School of Law. When not working, she enjoys paddle boarding and traveling.

Professional and Civic Affiliations

Over the years, Spencer has volunteered with Ocean’s Conservancy beach clean-up and Empty Bowls of Naples for Women’s Law Association.

An injured worker may seek to establish compensability of the contraction of COVID-19 under two legal theories:

  1. Exposure; and,
  2. Occupational disease.

Pursuant to Florida Statutes §440.02(1), an injury or disease:

caused by exposure to a toxic substance is generally not an injury or accident arising out of employment.”

Although this section has not been utilized in the context of a virus, it is assumed, for the purposes of this discussion, that the virus is considered a toxic substance.

Exposure

Continue Reading Is an employer liable for a workers’ compensation claim if an employee contracts COVID-19 at work?