What a Medford Workers’ Comp Attorney Does For You
Stan Gregory is a workers’ compensation lawyer in Medford, NJ, that can help you file a workers’ comp claim and protect your benefits. For over 20 years, we have helped employees get workers’ compensation to cover medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs related to workplace injuries. We work on contingency, so you’ll have no out-of-pocket costs.
Your employer’s insurance company makes money when they deny your workers’ compensation claim. This conflict of interest results in many denied but legitimate claims. Stan Gregory can help you fight denied workers’ comp claims and protect the benefits you deserve.
If a workplace accident in Medford results in an injury and you want to file a workers’ compensation claim, schedule a free case evaluation with Stan Gregory by calling 609-281-5100.
What Should I Do If I’m Injured at Work?
Workers’ compensation is a “no-fault” system. The NJ state legislature put this system in place to help injured workers get paid, avoid clogged courts, and preserve employer-employee relationships. A “no-fault” system means you don’t have to sue your employer and prove that they’re responsible for your injury to get benefits.
The process of receiving workers’ compensation includes three steps:
- reporting the accident
- visiting a doctor
- filing a claim
Many states have short deadlines for when you can send your report and still receive workers’ compensation. It’s important to report your injury to your supervisor immediately following your accident. By reporting the injury right away, you’re protecting your benefits if symptoms don’t arise until weeks or months later.
After you send a report to your supervisor, you’ll need to visit a doctor. The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA) allows federal workers to see a doctor of their choosing. If you’re not protected under FECA, you’ll need to visit a doctor paid for by your employer.
Your doctor will write a report regarding your injuries and the medical care you will need for recovery. This report will help determine what benefits you will receive as part of workers’ compensation. After 30 days, you can visit a doctor of your choosing and have them write a complimentary report.
You will then need to file a claim to receive your workers’ compensation. Stan Gregory has experience as a workers’ compensation lawyer in Medford and can help you file your claim.
Available Workers’ Comp Benefits
Lost Wages
Workers’ compensation can help cover your missed paychecks while you’re out of work due to a workplace injury. You’ll receive lost wages weekly from the time of the accident to when you return to work. This type of workers’ comp calculates at 70% of your average weekly earnings and, it will not exceed 75% of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) or fall below the minimum rate of 20% of the SAWW.
Medical Expenses
Common medical expenses covered by workers’ compensation for workplace injuries include:
- hospitalization
- procedures
- therapies
- prescription drugs
Therapies such as physical therapy and chiropractic treatments limit you to a specific number of sessions. To get additional therapy sessions covered by workers’ comp your doctor will need to make a report stating your recovery requires additional sessions.
You will receive this type of workers’ compensation immediately and continually until you complete rehabilitation.
Temporary Partial Disability Benefits
If you are now working limited hours or completing limited duties due to your workplace injury, you’re entitled to temporary partial disability benefits. This will cover two-thirds of the difference between your income prior to and following your injury.
Temporary Total Disability Benefits
Temporary total disability benefits protect employees who are out of work while they recover from their workplace injury. After three to seven days of being out of work, you can start collecting this type of workers’ compensation, which is two-thirds of your income.
You can continue collecting temporary total disability benefits until your doctor says you can go back to work, your doctor says you can no longer get any better, or you have reached 400 weeks of benefits.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
A permanent disability resulting from your workplace injury entitles you to permanent partial disability benefits. These benefits help protect employees who have a permanent disability but are still able to work. Your level of disability determines the amount of compensation you receive. These disabilities or losses fall into one of two categories: scheduled and unscheduled losses.
Scheduled losses are losses found in state laws. These include loss or impairment of certain body parts such as legs, eyes, or hands. Likewise, unscheduled losses are losses not found in state laws. These include disabilities that are harder to calculate, such as back problems or issues related to the heart and lungs.
Permanent Total Disability Benefits
This type of workers’ compensation helps protect employees who can no longer work in their previous job or work in any job because of their workplace injury. Permanent total disability benefits provide compensation for severe injuries such as blindness or the loss of both legs. These benefits pay at the same rate as permanent partial disability benefits and will continue for your entire life.
Death Benefits
If you are a dependent of a deceased worker, you’re entitled to death benefits. This type of workers’ compensation includes a lump sum as well as $3,500 for funeral expenses. Workers’ compensation laws in NJ are broad when it comes to “dependents.” To help determine if you are eligible to receive death benefits from your family member’s death, call workers’ compensation lawyer in Medford, Stan Gregory, today.