What Is Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation law first developed during the Industrial Revolution in response to high levels of serious injuries among factory workers. Prior to the advent of workers’ compensation laws, injured employees would be forced to sue their employers for negligence in order to obtain compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills and lost wages. Workers’ compensation laws were crafted as a “grand bargain” between labor and industry, in which employees gave up their right to sue for pain and suffering, in exchange for swift access to medical care and lost wage benefits. Each State has adopted such remedial social legislation to compensate employees for work injuries, while at the same time preventing catastrophic injuries from bankrupting American businesses. It is mandatory for employers to purchase workers’ compensation insurance coverage to cover such claims, and consult their Workers’ Compensation Attorney if needed.

Injured While Working?

Did You Get Sick From Work?

While it may be true that many of us are certainly sick of working, that’s an entirely different issue than being ‘sick from work.’ The daily grind, as we call it, can be rewarding or monotonous at times, and everything in between. Most of us actually do like our jobs though, and when we report to work we deserve to have a safe environment, safe procedures and be free to work without fear of sickness or injury. But from time to time, even the most responsible companies or employees can let their guard down for a minute, and it only takes a single act of negligence for an accident to occur.

Work-Related Injuries

The accident scenarios are as unlimited as the jobs, and Americans work millions upon millions of various jobs in countless fields and specialties. We work hard and take pride in our work, but injuries can happen even when we’re working after a good 8-hours of quality sleep and are super focused. Machinery can fail; and co-workers can make mistakes, yes, the possible scenarios are endless. And when we’re injured on the job, or become ill due to our work, we are entitled to compensation known as ‘worker’s compensation.’

Compiling data on work-related injuries is a complex process because there is a lot of data to consider, but the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics continually works to stay on top of this important information. And according to their data there were a total of 5,147 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in the year 2017. As you might imagine, there are significantly more that that number who are injured but survive their injuries. But survival doesn’t mean a happy ending in every case. Many injuries are life-changing, including everything from loss of limbs, to traumatic brain injuries that forever change how one lives, affecting their work, their finances, their families and relationships—essentially every aspect of their life. Many never fully recover, but we are joyful for the ones who do. And we empathize for the ones who don’t. But for every scenario, regardless of how severe the injury, it is always best to consult a skilled, seasoned personal injury attorney to ensure that you go after every possible compensation avenue you can get. Injuries can be costly, today and on into the future decades down the road. With injuries you usually only get one shot to gather the compensation you need, and will need, so don’t take a chance with your health and future, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney in Flemington, NJ and protect your rights, your family, and your financial status.

What Is Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation, also known as simply, ‘workers’ comp,’ is a type of accident insurance that is paid by employers. And there are no payroll deductions taken from employees’ salaries for this type of insurance. How does it work? If you’re injured while on the job or acquire a kind of work-related illness, workers’ compensation will step in and pay your medical expenses. Additionally, if you cannot work, it will provide wage-loss compensation until at such point you’re able to return to work.

Workers’ compensation law first developed during the Industrial Revolution in response to a high level of serious injuries among factory workers. Prior to the advent of workers’ compensation laws, injured employees would be forced to sue their employers for negligence in order to obtain compensation for pain and suffering, medical bills and lost wages. Workers’ compensation laws were crafted as a “grand bargain” between labor and industry, in which employees gave up their right to sue for pain and suffering, in exchange for swift access to medical care and lost wage benefits. Each state has adopted this type of remedial social legislation to compensate employees for work injuries, while at the same time preventing catastrophic injuries from bankrupting American businesses. It is mandatory for employers to purchase workers’ compensation insurance coverage to cover such claims, and consult their Workers’ Compensation Attorney if needed.

Does Workers’ Compensation Cover Only Sudden Accidents Or Other Long Term Problems And Illnesses As Well?

In New Jersey, work-related medical conditions which develop over an extended period of time are referred to as “occupational exposure” claims. Examples of occupational claims include: carpal tunnel syndrome caused by repetitive typing; pulmonary disability of a fireman stemming from smoke inhalation over the years; hearing loss from being exposed to constant loud noises over an extended period of time; back injuries from years of heavy lifting; or shoulder impingement brought on by the repetitive use of tools. Any activity which requires the use of the same muscles or systems repeatedly has the danger of causing an occupational injury.

Occupational claims are notoriously more difficult to litigate than specific accident claims because the Court must compare what activities the person does in their daily life to their occupational efforts. Since it is inherently challenging to pinpoint when a degenerative type injury began, it is more difficult to prove such claims. Therefore, you need an experienced Workers’ Compensation Attorney right by your side throughout the legal course of action.

Who Is Liable for the Payment of a Worker’s Compensation Claim?

If there is insurance coverage through a worker’s compensation carrier, then the insurance carrier pays all of the benefits owed to an injured worker. The employer itself does not pay any benefits if a valid workers’ compensation insurance policy was in place at the time of the accident or injury. The insurance carrier is responsible for the payment of all medical bills, temporary disability benefits, and permanent disability benefits to the injured worker.

If the employer is uninsured, however, then the employer must pay the benefits directly to the injured worker. If the uninsured employer is a corporation or legal entity which does not have access to adequate funds to pay these benefits, the owner of company may be held personally liable to pay the claim. In addition, there are criminal penalties in New Jersey for an employer which fails to secure the necessary workers’ compensation insurance coverage. For these reasons, it is critical for all employers to take out a workers’ compensation insurance policy. Business owners may purchase a rider to the policy, to cover themselves as “employees” in the event that they are themselves injured during the course of working in their own business.

For further information regarding the benefits available under the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Act, please see our articles on a wide range of topics facing injured workers: Workers’ Compensation Articles