Pennington, NJ Workers Compensation Attorneys

Workers in Pennington who are hurt on the job or become ill due to workplace conditions may have difficulty returning to work for an extended period of time. When work-related injuries or illnesses occur, the employee may be eligible for worker’s compensation benefits from their employer.

Workers’ compensation covers the cost of medical care and may provide financial assistance to cover a portion of an injured worker’s hourly wages.

Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. has been helping injured workers in Pennington and across New Jersey since 1981. Our firm handles workers’ compensation cases on a contingency fee basis. You will not owe any legal fees unless our attorneys obtain a financial award for you.

If you suffered serious injuries or your loved one was killed on the job in the Pennington area, seek the guidance of a Pennington, NJ workers’ comp attorney about your right to claim benefits. An experienced attorney will be able to ensure that you can avoid common errors that can lead to delays in obtaining benefits.

The Pennington & Lawrenceville workers’ compensation attorneys at Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. are committed to helping injured workers get the benefits they are owed. You can have our lawyers in Pennington provide a complete evaluation of your case as soon as you call (800) LAW-2000 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.

About Our Personal Injury Law Firm

Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. has helped more than 20,000 people and families in Pennington and throughout New Jersey. Our record of success in workers’ compensation cases includes $1.32 million recovered for a client who suffered multiple fractures and disabilities after falling from a ladder in a construction accident.

Our firm has recovered over $800 million for our clients, including injured workers who were struggling to overcome on-the-job injuries. We represent individuals, not corporations.

We have a team of 25 attorneys with more than 35 years of legal experience. Our personal injury law firm also has a vast network of experts that we can consult to help us in workplace accident investigations.

How Our Attorneys Can Help Workers’ Comp Victims in Pennington

After a workplace accident, you may believe that it is a waste of money to hire a lawyer to appeal a disputed workers’ compensation claim.

A knowledgeable workers’ compensation lawyer can investigate the workplace accident and identify all the parties potentially liable. Injured workers typically cannot sue their employer for compensation other than workers’ compensation benefits. However, a negligent third party such as a contractor working on the same job site or a property owner could potentially be held liable for damages arising from a workplace accident through a third-party lawsuit.

Whether it is a workers’ compensation application or a third-party liability action, an experienced attorney will be able to represent the injured worker in settlement negotiations. You will want a lawyer to handle the discussions for you. An experienced injured worker attorney will have an informed perspective about the fair value of your case and will fight to recover that amount.

Some insurance companies will reach out to people injured in workplace accidents and offer lump-sum settlements. In many cases, these settlement offers are nowhere near what people are entitled, and victims who accept such settlements are then powerless to obtain additional compensation when there is no money left to pay for future medical costs.

Types of Workplace Accidents and Injuries in Pennington

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the most common workplace accidents in New Jersey include:

  • Motor vehicle accidents
  • Being caught in running equipment or machinery
  • Falls, slips, or trips
  • Fires and explosions
  • Forklift accidents
  • Contact with objects or equipment
  • Contact with electric currents
  • Exposure to toxic substances and chemicals
  • Assaults and violent acts
  • Injuries accidentally caused by co-workers

Injuries in these cases can vary depending on various factors. Some people may believe they were not harmed, but it is critical to seek medical attention after any workplace accident.

Examples of injuries people suffer in accidents at work include:

  • Fractures
  • Soft tissue injuries
  • Lacerations
  • Paralysis
  • Spinal cord injuries
  • Traumatic brain injuries
  • Head injuries
  • Neck injuries
  • Burn injuries
  • Internal organ damage
  • Nerve damage

People with more severe injuries often have a greater need for workers’ compensation, but they can also face greater scrutiny of their claims. In some cases, employers or their insurance companies may openly question the severity of a victim’s injuries and request several rounds of medical records.

Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. understands how to prove complex injury claims successfully. Our Pennington injury lawyers will work closely with doctors to get the right records and demonstrate the effects that your injury has had on your life.

Types of Workers’ Comp Benefits in Pennington, NJ

New Jersey workers’ compensation is essentially divided into three types of benefits, although one of the categories involves subcategories. One kind of benefit applicable to most cases concerns medical benefits.

Workers’ compensation should cover all medical treatment necessary. In many cases, medical benefit eligibility is contingent on an employee receiving medical care from an employer’s preferred provider of medical care.

Disability benefits, which replace up to 70 percent of an employee’s gross weekly wage, include four types of benefits:

  • Temporary Partial Disability Benefits — These partial benefits make up for a difference in wages when a worker returns for “light duty” while recovering from an injury.
  • Temporary Total Disability Benefits — For workers who are temporarily disabled and cannot work, Temporary Total Disability benefits are paid until an employee reaches a state of “maximum medical improvement” (the point at which a physician says a person can improve no further) or a maximum of 400 weeks.
  • Permanent Partial Disability Benefits — When a disability will prevent a person from ever working again at full capacity, the disabled worker can receive payments for up to 600 weeks or an amount specified by N.J. statute.
  • Permanent Total Disability Benefits — A person who will never be able to work again because of his or her injury or illness suffered on the job can receive weekly payments for up to 450 weeks (or life in some cases).

There are also death benefits available to certain family members of deceased workers. Death benefits may cover funeral and burial expenses, as well as up to 70 percent of the worker’s average weekly wage.

A worker’s dependents can receive payments for up to 450 weeks, or until a dependent turns 18 years of age (23 years of age for full-time students). Widows or widowers can receive benefits for more than 450 weeks when they do not remarry.

Steps to File a Pennington, NJ Workers’ Comp Claim

When you are involved in a workplace accident, your first step should always be to seek medical attention. You should do this even if you do not believe you were hurt.

Tell your doctor about your accident and be sure to follow your physician’s orders. Report the injury to your employer as soon as possible.

You are required to report your injury to your employer within 90 days of the accident (or of when you learned of your injury). If you can, put the report in writing so you can keep a copy for your records.

Either your employer or the company’s workers’ compensation insurer is required to file a report with the state of New Jersey within 21 days of your notice of injury. An employer will conduct its investigation into your accident to determine whether to accept or deny your workers’ compensation claim.

You will likely want to consult an attorney as soon as possible in your case. You may need assistance if an employer has not filed a report or has denied your claim and you need to request a hearing.

Pennington and Mercer County Legal Information

According to the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, New Jersey had 92,200 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses in 2017. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 101 fatal occupational injuries in New Jersey in 2016.

Did you sustain serious injuries on the job or was your loved one killed in a workplace accident in Pennington or a surrounding area of New Jersey? Are you having difficulty obtaining benefits after filing a workers’ compensation claim? Do not wait to contact a skilled workers’ compensation lawyer.

Davis, Saperstein & Salomon, P.C. can fight to fight for you to receive every dollar of compensation you are entitled to claim. Call (800) LAW-2000 or contact us online for a free consultation.