Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Deptford, NJ
If you suffered an injury while working and you live or work in Deptford, Stan Gregory can help you get the workers’ comp benefits you deserve. For over two decades, Stan Gregory has worked tirelessly to get justice for injured workers in Deptford, New Jersey. Put Stan Gregory’ experience and skill to work for you.
Stan Gregory has dedicated his career to fighting for injured workers just like you. He has seen it all and knows how to fight and overcome the insurance companies’ delaying and denying tactics, which they employ to make more profits while depriving you of the money you need while injured and out of work.
Don’t fight the insurance company and their team of lawyers alone! Bring a trusted and experienced advocate to the table and get the benefits you deserve. For a free consultation with a workers’ compensation lawyer serving Tabernacle, New Jersey, call the offices of Stan Gregory today at 609-281-5100. We accept cases on a contingency basis which minimizes out-of-pocket costs to you.
What a Workers’ Comp Attorney Does to Help Your Claim
Stan Gregory is an experienced worker’s compensation attorney who will guide you through the complicated and often confusing workers’ comp claims process. You need to spend your time and energy recovering from your injury, not dealing with the frustration of trying to get your workers’ comp claim paid. Stan Gregory will handle your Home Depot workers’ comp claim for you, helping you prepare your case and representing you at hearings and in negotiations.
What to Do When You Experience a Workplace Injury
If you are injured at work, follow these three critical steps::
- Inform Your Supervisor about the Incident
- Go to the Doctor
- Gather Evidence and File Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
Reporting the Incident to Your Supervisor
Inform your supervisor or manager about it even if you are not sure you sustained an injury, because some illnesses and injuries can take time to manifest.
To file a successful workers’ compensation claim you need to amass evidence and documentation. Reporting an incident immediately helps you begin to build a case for your future workers’ compensation claim. Be sure to write an account of the incident while it is fresh in your mind. Also, obtain a notice of injury form (DWC-1) and compile a list of witnesses to start working on filing your report.
Your Doctor Visit
You must visit a doctor on your employer’s list when you are injured at work. The doctor’s report is crucial because all parties will rely on it in negotiating the amount and types of benefits you will receive. A workers’ compensation lawyer can advise you as to what information and documentation you need to get from this doctor to fully support your claim.
File Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
Once you have reported the incident to your supervisor, written down your account of what happened, compiled your list of witnesses, and obtained the doctor’s report and medical evidence, you have what you need to file your NJ workers’ compensation claim. Working with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to prepare your claim ensures that it is complete and accurate.
New Jersey’s workers’ compensation scheme is “no-fault,” meaning that if you are injured on the job, you do not need to prove that your employer was at fault or otherwise negligent in court in order to receive workers’ compensation benefits. This can make the process more expedient and less negative for all parties.
You can learn about your employer’s policy and procedures regarding workplace injuries and illnesses by consulting the form that is posted in your break room, locker room, or cafeteria. If you cannot find this posting, your employer’s Human Resources Department can help.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits Available in New Jersey
If you were injured or contracted an illness on the job, the workers’ compensation benefits you may be eligible for in Deptford, New Jersey include:
Lost Wages
Workers’ compensation most commonly pays injured workers while they are recovering and cannot work. Workers’ compensation will provide weekly payments of 70% of your average weekly wage, not to exceed 75% of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) or fall below 20% of the SAWW. You are eligible to receive lost wages from the date you start missing work to the date you return to work.
Medical Expenses
The next most common workers’ compensation benefit is payment of medical expenses incurred due to a workplace injury or illness. Workers’ compensation can pay for hospitalizations, surgeries and other procedures, therapies, and prescription drugs. Some procedures like acupuncture, chiropractic, and physical therapy may be limited to a set amount of sessions, but you can apply for more sessions if you need them and a doctor agrees. Your medical expenses are compensable from the time of injury to when a doctor reports a full or maximum recovery.
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits
Some injured workers are able to work at a less strenuous position or for fewer hours despite their injury. This is called “light duty,” In this case, you may be eligible for temporary partial disability benefits. Temporary partial disability pays an injured worker two-thirds of the difference between previous earnings and earnings while on “light duty.”
Temporary Total Disability Benefits
Some injured workers cannot work at all during recovery. If this is the case, you may be eligible for temporary total disability benefits, which are typically two-thirds of your regular income. Weekly payments end if you receive the maximum of 400 weeks of payments or when a doctor clears you to return to work.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
Some injured workers are permanently impaired but their impairment does not prevent them from returning to work. If this is the case, you may be eligible for Permanent Partial Disability Benefits. Under New Jersey workers’ compensation law, permanent disabilities are either “scheduled” of “unscheduled” and both types can be compensable. Examples of scheduled disabilities include visual or hearing impairments or the loss of fingers, toes, or limbs, while unscheduled disabilities can include heart, lung, or back issues.
Permanent Total Disability Benefits
Some workers are injured so severely that they cannot return to work at their job. If this is the case, you may be eligible for Permanent Total Disability Benefits even if you can perform some other type of work. Loss of both arms and complete blindness are examples of total disability.
Death Benefits
If a worker dies due to a workplace injury or illness, their dependents can receive workers’ compensation death benefits. The definition of “dependents” is broadly construed in New Jersey, meaning, far more people in the worker’s life qualify as “dependents” for the purposes of workers’ compensation than you would think. If your loved one died on the job, call Home Depot workers’ compensation lawyer Stan Gregory to determine if you are eligible for workers’ compensation death benefits even if you were not “dependent” upon the worker.