Trenton Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
New Jersey and Pennsylvania employers must provide workers’ compensation insurance to their employees. This program pays a partial wage when a work-related illness or injury prevents an employee from working. It also provides free medical care for work-related health conditions.
The workers’ compensation program offers valuable benefits, but the rules can be complicated, and the insurance companies are often reluctant to pay workers what they deserve. Contact a Trenton workers’ compensation lawyer if you are having trouble accessing your benefits or if the insurance company has made a decision you disagree with. Our personal injury attorneys provide aggressive representation to injured workers and fight to ensure they obtain all the compensation they have earned.
Situations That Can Lead to a Workers’ Compensation Claim
Workers’ compensation covers any work-related accident, injury, or health condition. The worker does not need to be performing their job functions or even be on the clock when an injury occurs. For example, if an employee trips and fractures their arm in the break room during unpaid meal time, they can claim workers’ compensation benefits for the injury.
Workers’ compensation benefits also cover injuries and health problems that develop over time due to working conditions. An employee can claim benefits for:
- Stress-related mental health problems
- Repetitive motion injuries
- Hearing loss
- Overexertion injuries
- Respiratory ailments
- Cancers related to workplace conditions
In these cases, proving a condition is work-related often requires the help of an aggressive Trenton workers’ comp attorney.
Workers’ compensation benefits include free healthcare for the work-related injury or condition. The program also pays a partial wage when an ill or injured employee must take time off work. If an injury or condition has a permanent impact, workers’ compensation pays for partial or total disability.
Obtaining Medical Treatment After a Work Injury
One of the most important rules for sick or injured workers is to seek medical care as quickly as possible. When a situation is an emergency, the worker should seek care from the nearest appropriate facility. In a non-emergency, the employer or its insurance company must provide the employee with a list of approved healthcare providers.
The employee must see the approved healthcare provider for the first 30 days they are treated or the first ten medical visits, whichever comes first. A worker who is dissatisfied with the treatment they are receiving should contact a workers’ compensation attorney in Trenton immediately. Arranging treatment with an alternative provider is possible, but requires approval from the New Jersey Division of workers’ compensation.
Eventually, the treating healthcare provider will certify that the worker can return to work, can return to light duties only, or has a permanent disability that will prevent their return to their former job. Workers who disagree with the treating physician can appeal these decisions with the help of a legal professional.
Notifying the Employer
Employees who suffer a job-related illness or injury must inform their employer as quickly as possible. New Jersey Statute § 34:15-17 establishes time limits for employer notification.
Ideally, a worker informs their employer within 14 days of their injury. The best practice is for an employee to inform their employer in writing of their injury as quickly as possible, regardless of other circumstances. An employer may deny a claim if it is not notified within 90 days of the injury.
When a work-related injury or health condition develops over time, the initial diagnosis may come from an employee’s personal physician. In that case, the worker must notify their employer as soon as they receive the diagnosis. A Trenton attorney can help an employee with a work-related disease or condition provide notice and claim their workers’ compensation benefits.
Talk to a Trenton Attorney If You Have a Work-Related Injury or Condition
The workers’ compensation program provides critical support to employees who suffer work-related illnesses or injuries. However, successfully navigating the system can be complicated.
Our Trenton workers’ compensation lawyers could guide you through the process and ensure you receive the benefits you are entitled to collect. Learn more by scheduling a complimentary consultation today.
