Workers’ Comp Lawyer in Teaneck, NJ
Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C., has proudly represented workers who have been hurt or become ill on the job since 1981. While most employees understand the importance of safety and most employers take steps to protect their workers, workplace accidents and injuries still occur frequently in Teaneck and throughout New Jersey. Our dedicated attorneys are here to help injured employees pursue appeals if their workers’ compensation claim has been denied.
Workers’ compensation in New Jersey is considered a “no-fault” insurance program. In most cases, employees who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses are entitled to medical benefits and temporary or permanent disability benefits, regardless of who caused the accident.
If you have been injured in a Teaneck workplace accident, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, regardless of who caused the accident. You can have one of our experienced workers’ compensation lawyers explain your legal rights by calling (800) LAW-2000 or use our online form to set up a free consultation.
Proving Fault to Collect Teaneck Workers’ Compensation Benefits
After a job-related accident or disease in Teaneck, an injured employee has a right to receive workers’ compensation benefits regardless of who was at fault. The injured worker does not need to prove someone else caused the injury to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
Workers’ compensation insurance is intended to provide medical care and benefits and limit lawsuits filed against employers. A person may be entitled to the workers’ comp benefits regardless of whether an employer, an employee, or another party was at fault for an accident.
Workers’ compensation claims are subject to strict deadlines and filing requirements, with some cases requiring hearings. If your claim has been denied, let our Teaneck workers’ compensation lawyers review the situation and answer your questions.
Common Types of Workplace Injuries in Teaneck
More than 1.5 million workers in New Jersey sustained work-related injuries from 2000 to 2017, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. There are many common types of workplace injuries that workers in Teaneck suffer on the job. They include:
- Head Injuries — Being struck in the head by a falling object or a dropped load at a construction site or any workplace can cause a traumatic brain injury. Many workers sustain head trauma in work-related car accidents and heavy equipment accidents. Some serious brain injuries may result in loss of consciousness and be disabling.
- Back Injuries — Back injuries may be caused by work-related car accidents, heavy equipment, falls, and overexertion.
- Musculoskeletal Injuries — Lifting and carrying heavy loads can lead to injuries to muscles, nerves, tendons, ligaments and spinal discs. Musculoskeletal injuries are a leading cause of pain, suffering and disability on the job.
- Falls — Falls are common workplace accidents. Workers working on roofs, ladders, scaffolds or elevated surfaces are at risk of sustaining serious head injuries, back injuries, broken bones and internal injuries in a fall from heights.
- Burns — Serious burn injuries caused by fires, explosions or electrocution accidents may require lengthy treatment in a special burn unit hospital and involve a large amount of lost work time. A worker who suffers third-degree burns may require skin grafts and multiple cosmetic surgeries to address scarring and disfigurement. Burns are among the most expensive work-related injuries to treat.
- Eye Injuries — Flying objects and particles, toxic chemicals splashed in the eye or trauma to the face from contact with tools or sharp objects can cause eye injuries and loss of vision.
- Work-Related Asthma — More than 300 substances used in New Jersey workplaces are known to cause asthma in healthy workers or aggravate asthma in people who have the condition. Asthma can be a debilitating disease.
The Teaneck workers’ compensation attorneys at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon have helped many injured workers pursue workers’ compensation benefits after work-related accidents. If an employer is disputing your right to workers’ compensation benefits after a work-related injury in Teaneck, contact our law firm to find out how we may help.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits That Can Be Obtained in Teaneck, New Jersey
Employees in New Jersey who suffer job-related injuries or illnesses should qualify for workers’ compensation, which is an insurance program that covers full- and part-time employees when they are hurt on the job or develop a work-related illness.
The benefits available to injured employees through workers’ compensation insurance include:
- Medical Benefits — Emergency care, hospital services, medication, rehabilitation, and all necessary medical treatment to cure workplace injury or illness are covered by workers’ compensation. The employer or employer’s insurance administrator designates the health care providers to provide treatment. The employer may deny paying medical bills for treatment from unauthorized doctors.
- Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) Benefits — Some people are left partly disabled as a result of a Teaneck workplace injury. The disabled worker may be eligible for permanent partial disability benefits based on the individual’s loss of function. The benefits are based upon a percentage of specific “scheduled” losses involving loss of use of arms, hands, fingers, legs, feet, toes, eyes, or ears, or “non-scheduled” losses involving body systems not explicitly identified in the schedule, such as the back, heart, or lungs.
- Permanent Total Disability (PTD) Benefits — If a worker is totally disabled and unable to do any kind of work, the disabled worker may qualify for permanent total disability benefits. PTD benefits are provided initially for 450 weeks, but they can be extended beyond the 450 weeks when the injured worker can prove that he or she continues to be unable to hold gainful employment. The benefits are based upon 70 percent of the worker’s average weekly wage up to a maximum amount. If a worker loses two significant body parts such as arms, hands, feet, or eyes, or a combination of these parts, the disabled worker may qualify for permanent total disability benefits.
- Temporary Total Disability (TTD) Benefits — This benefit replaces lost income if the injured worker is temporarily unable to work due to a workplace injury. The benefit is equivalent to 70 percent of a worker’s average weekly wage up to a maximum amount. You can receive weekly wage replacement payments until you are released to return to work in some capacity or have reached “maximum medical improvement.” TTD benefits cannot last longer than 400 weeks.
- Death Benefits — Dependents of a worker who is fatally injured on the job or dies of a work-related disease may be entitled to workers’ compensation death benefits and funeral expenses. The death benefit payments are equivalent to 70 percent of the wage of the deceased worker up to the maximum established annually by the N.J. Commissioner of Labor. Surviving spouses and children are presumed to be dependents if they lived in the worker’s household at the time of the employee’s death. Children who are under 18 years of age or full-time students who are under 23 years of age are considered dependents. Other family members, including parents, siblings, grandparents, and grandchildren must prove their dependency to qualify for benefits.
Contact Our Workers’ Comp Attorneys in Teaneck, NJ
The legal team at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C., understands how hard people work for their paychecks in Teaneck, and we know how workplace injuries and illness can disrupt lives and leave injured workers’ struggling financially. Let our workers’ compensation lawyers in Teaneck answer your questions and pursue workers’ compensation benefits for you. Our attorneys know that what matters most to you is that you can recover from your injuries and regain financial stability, knowing that your family is taken care of and your future is protected.
We can help you with every step of the application process and help you secure all of the benefits you are entitled to. Call (800) LAW-2000 or use our online form right now to take advantage of a free consultation. Our office is located just over the river from Manhattan, and our lawyers can meet with you in your home or hospital room if you can’t visit us.