Workers’ Compensation Benefits in New Jersey – 2 Paths.
No worker should have to be hurt on the job. This is the very premise behind workers’ comp claims in the state, allowing an injured employee to get help with medical bills and treatment when an on-the-job injury overtakes them. Your life could be changed in a big way following a workplace accident, making it vital to file a claim in a timely fashion.
An employee who is injured at work or believes they have contracted an illness tied directly to their job should tell an employer immediately about the incident, illness, or accident. Employers in New Jersey are responsible for maintaining workers compensation insurance that will payout benefits and reimburse you for your employee medical expenses following an injury. After an employer is aware of your injury, that company maintains a responsibility to initiate the claims procedures with an insurance provider.
In many cases, the employer will make phone contact with the insurance company and file the right paperwork. Some employees may encounter no problems in getting workers compensation benefits. But in other situations, you may experience delays or denials that should prompt you to hire an injury lawyer right away.
An employer that raises concerns about your New Jersey workers compensation claim might allege that the accident occurred outside of work or was due to recreational activities. Certain types of trauma, including repetitive stress injuries, can be more difficult to pursue a workers’ compensation claim for and this highlights why the right New Jersey workers compensation lawyer should be hired immediately.
The two options available to you as a hurt employee are an application for a formal claim and a filing for an informal hearing. An application for a formal claim is more like litigation or a court case. This requires filing an application within two years of the accident injury or two years from the date you had actual knowledge of the injury. The employer and employee can still reach agreement on workers comp benefit even after a formal claim is filed. Employers and insurance companies may have very different interest and have their own lawyers representing them.
Filing for an informal hearing happens with the New Jersey department of labor in the division of workers compensation. This is a legal process and one that should prompt you to hire a lawyer. If you are requesting complicated benefits such as determination of total or permanent disability, the advice of a New Jersey workers compensation lawyer is strongly recommended to support your interest.
After a workplace illness or injury, you do not want to leave your benefits unreceived or medical expenses unpaid. However, navigating in the complicated process of recovering benefits in New Jersey is not always easy. Many workers assume that the employer or the insurance company will be on their side because the facts of the accident seem relatively obvious. However, this is not often the case and if you don’t get help from an injury attorney immediately, you could expose yourself to numerous challenges in your claim.
Accepting a low settlement offer or giving up after your claim has been denied may make things much more difficult for you and your family members who are dependent on your paycheck that you have now lost because of a critical injury. Don’t wait too long to get help from an injury lawyer as this could be the only way to fight back and recover the compensation you will need to put your life back together and move on to a better future.
The right NJ workers’ comp lawyer can help you avoid challenges in your case so you feel more confident about next steps.
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Craig Voorhees is Certified by The New Jersey Supreme Court as a Certified Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Call to arrange a private meeting, contact us by e-mail or call our office at 609-771-8611. Evening and weekend meetings are available upon request. We take all major credit cards. We handle all workers’ compensation cases on a contingency basis. We won’t charge you any attorney fees unless we are able to get compensation for your losses.
