Have you been injured in an accident at work in New Jersey?
Contact us today.
New Jersey workers suffered more than 100,000 work-related injuries or illnesses over the last year. Many injured workers do not realize that they may have a legitimate workers’ compensation claim or temporary disability.
In New Jersey, claims against your employer are filed under the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Act. The system is created to provide specific benefits to an injured employee, when such injury arises out of and occurs during the course of his or her employment. These injuries or illnesses can include, among others:
- Injuries from falls;
- Manufacturing equipment injuries;
- Construction site injuries;
- Repetitive street injuries;
- Organ disease;
- Toxic chemical exposure, burns;
- Eye injuries, hearing loss.
The filing of a workers’ compensation claim petition is not considered a “lawsuit” against an employer, but rather is a demand for benefits. The workers’ compensation system is a no-fault system, meaning that even when an injured worker’s own negligence produces the injury, the worker is entitled to payment of benefits for a percentage of lost wages, medical benefits, and assuming the injury is permanent, an award of a percentage of permanent disability.
In the State of New Jersey, each employee injured at work (regardless of fault) is entitled by statute to three benefits:
- Medical Treatment. Your employer is required by law to pay for and provide medical treatment when you are injured on the job. In addition, your employer’s insurance company has the right to select an authorized treating physician. Unless you are treated by authorized medical providers (except for emergencies), you may jeopardize your right to benefits.
- Temporary Disability. When you are temporarily totally disabled from working for at least eight days, you are entitled to be paid 70% of your salary.
- Permanent Disability. Benefits are based upon a percentage of certain “scheduled” or “non-scheduled” losses. A “scheduled” loss is one involving arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, eyes, ears or teeth. A “non-scheduled” loss is one involving any area or system of the body not specifically indentified in the schedule, such as the back, neck, heart and lungs.
Work injury laws have changed over the years, but one thing has remained consistent: if you have been injured on the job, you are generally entitled to receive work injury insurance benefits. If you think you may have a legitimate workers’ compensation or disability claim, we can answer your questions. We will not charge you for an initial consultation and you will not pay attorney’s fees unless your claim is approved.
Contact us today to discuss your workplace injury or illness.
Fredrick P. Niemann
(732) 863-9900