Archives for July 2017

common-mistakes-in-workers-compensation-claims-part-oneSecuring workers’ compensation benefits in New Jersey can be difficult, even when your case seems like a slam dunk. You need to be careful that you don’t make some of the common mistakes that can diminish or jeopardize your claim.

Seeking Treatment Only for Major Injuries

It happens all the time. You suffer a broken arm or some other highly visible trauma and focus all your medical attention on the obvious injury, ignoring the twists, sprains or strains to muscles or connective tissue in your back or neck. Unfortunately, it’s often the less visible injuries that cause more long term problems. When you seek medical care after a work-related injury, be sure to tell the doctor about everything that happened and anything that feels out of the ordinary.

Trying to Be Strong or Brave

When you have been hurt on the job, it’s not the time to show how tough you are. It’s the time to fully acknowledge the extent of your injuries. Don’t brush them off and, most importantly, don’t ignore doctor’s orders. There’s no race to full recovery—you need to take as much time as necessary to fully heal. If you try to do too much too soon, you may risk the loss of benefits, even though you are still injured.

Accepting a Single Medical Opinion

When you seek workers’ compensation benefits, you’ll be required to undergo a physical examination by a company-chosen doctor. That doctor may conclude that you are not prevented from working, or that your injury was not work-related. You don’t have to accept that single opinion. You can obtain a second opinion, or even a third opinion, if the first two are conflicting.

Contact Us

At Taylor & Boguski, we bring more than 70 years of combined legal experience to injured workers throughout New Jersey. For a free initial consultation, contact our office online or call us at 856-200-8989.

We handle all workers’ compensation claims on a contingency basis. We won’t charge you attorney fees if we don’t recover compensation for your losses.

what-additional-benefits-are-available-in-a-new-jersey-workers-compensation-claimIn New Jersey, when you’ve been injured on the job, you have a right to collect benefits to compensate you for lost income. Once you’ve been unable to work for at least seven days because of your injury, you are eligible for as much as 70% of your gross weekly wage before your accident. If your claim isn’t challenged, your benefits will likely start within a couple weeks, and will be retroactive to the date of your injury.

You are entitled to other benefits when you file a workers’ compensation claim:

  • Payment of medical expenses—Under New Jersey law, if your workers’ compensation claim is approved, you are entitled to reimbursement for or payment of all reasonable and necessary medical treatment. As a general rule, you must obtain pre-authorization for medical care, except in the case of an emergency.
  • Job training or vocational rehab—If your injuries are permanent and will prevent you from returning to your previous occupation, you can obtain financial assistance to help you find a new job or get trained to do other work.
  • Mileage reimbursement—You’ll be required to stay under the care of a doctor and to schedule regular appointments. You can request reimbursement of mileage expenses.
  • Death benefits—If you die in a work-related accident, your surviving spouse and/or other dependents can receive payments at the same rate as if you had been permanently and totally disabled.
  • Funeral and burial expenses—The workers’ compensation laws also provide for payment of up to $3,500 to cover funeral and burial expenses when a worker is killed on the job.

Contact Us

At Taylor & Boguski, we bring more than 70 years of combined legal experience to injured people throughout New Jersey. For a free initial consultation, contact our office online or call us at 856-200-8989.