Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Mansfield, NJ
Are you in need of a Mansfield workers’ compensation lawyer? Trust Stan Gregory and his two decades of experience fighting on behalf of New Jersey’s injured workers. New Jersey knows that Stan Gregory has the experience and aptitude to help injured workers get their due compensation.
Unfortunately, insurance companies only turn a profit when denying workers’ compensation claims. This incentivizes unscrupulous behavior on the part of the insurance companies. Stan Gregory has dedicated his life to fighting this conflict of interest.
If you want a trusted workers’ compensation attorney by your side, call the offices of Stan Gregory today at 609-281-5100. We take cases based on contingency, so there are no out-of-pocket costs to you, and consultations are always free!
What a Workers’ Compensation Attorney Does
Workers’ compensation lawyers help their clients navigate the tedious and intentionally confusing process of securing workers’ compensation benefits. They help injured workers prepare their claims and represent them during negotiations and hearings. Their value is indispensable, especially when you need to focus the majority of your attention on healing.
What You Should Do When You’re Injured at Work
If you’re injured on the job, there are three steps you need to take to ensure you receive your due workers’ compensation. These steps include:
- Reporting the Incident
- Seeing a Doctor
- Filing Your Claim
Reporting the Incident
You must report an incident as soon as it happens, even if you are not sure that the incident resulted in an injury. This is because the workers’ compensation process requires detailed documentation to determine what benefits an injured worker is eligible to receive. In addition, some illnesses and injuries take time to develop. Therefore, reporting any potential incident that may lead to an injury down the line helps support any future claims you may need to file.
Seeing a Doctor
You will need to see a doctor paid for by your employer unless the Federal Employees Compensation Act protects you, which allows you to see a doctor of your choice. The doctor’s report is an important document that determines the severity of your injury or illness.
It is this document that negotiators use to determine which, if any, benefits you are eligible to receive. But, again, a workers’ compensation lawyer can help you by providing counsel on what types of evidence you should request from the doctor.
Filing Your Claim
When you have reported the incident and obtained a doctor’s report, you may then file your claim. A workers’ compensation attorney helps you make sure your claim is accurate and compliant, guaranteeing a smoother process.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits in New Jersey
Consider the following workers’ compensation benefits available to New Jersey residents:
Lost Wages
Lost wages cover any earnings you’d miss out on during your recovery time. The coverage lasts the entire period you are out of work and ends when you return. You’ll receive weekly payments equal to 70% of your average weekly earnings. Additionally, your payout cannot exceed 75% of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage (SAWW), nor can it fall below 20% of it.
Medical Expenses
Workers’ compensation benefits will cover most of the medical expenses you’ll accrue due to your injury and recovery. Examples of expenses covered are hospitalizations, procedures, surgeries, therapies, prescription drugs, and other costs you’ll incur during the illness or injury. The coverage window lasts from the time of injury till a doctor reports a full or partial recovery.
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits
You may be able to work during your recovery but only for reduced hours due to your injury. If so, you are eligible for temporary partial disability benefits. This benefit helps reimburse you for two-thirds of the difference between your previous earnings and current earnings.
Temporary Total Disability Benefits
You are eligible for temporary total disability benefits if you cannot go back to work until you are fully recovered. This benefit offers injured workers two-thirds of their regular income. Plus, workers can start accepting payments as early as three days from being out of work. The benefits stop when a doctor approves your return to work or if you reach 400 weeks of payments, which is the total allowed amount.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
If you are permanently disabled but can still work, you may be eligible for permanent partial disability. This benefit covers both scheduled and unscheduled disabilities. Scheduled disabilities are visual or hearing impairments or the loss of limbs. Unscheduled disabilities are more difficult to label — like heart, lung, or back issues.
Permanent Total Disability Benefits
If you can no longer work due to your disability, you can apply for permanent total disability. Also, this benefit applies to those workers who can no longer perform their old job but might work in another capacity. Some examples of total disability injuries are total blindness or the loss of two or more limbs.
Death Benefits
If a caretaker dies due to a workplace injury, then any deceased’s dependents can claim death benefits. Defining “dependents” in this context is broad in New Jersey. Call Mansfield’s premier workers’ compensation lawyer Stan Gregory to determine if you are eligible for death benefits.