Employers in New Jersey have a duty to help ensure that their employees are safe while they are at work. This includes providing the proper safety equipment and having other safety measures in place to prevent accidents. However, not all employers provide the proper safety equipment or training and accidents occur. Sometimes these accidents result in workers being injured on the job.
The injuries suffered by employees in these accidents can vary in severity, but some of the injuries will force the employee to miss time at work and lose income as a result. They may also have to receive medical treatment for their injuries. The medical treatment can be very significant depending on the severity of the injury. So, not only are workers losing income, they are also incurring costly medical bills.
Types of benefits injured workers may receive
That is why employers are required to pay workers’ compensation benefits to the injured workers. Workers’ compensation benefits pay for the following expenses:
- Medical expenses – all necessary and reasonable medical expenses, including prescription costs. The employer can designate the medical professionals who provide the care though.
- Temporary total income benefits – these pay for 70% of the employees’ average weekly pay. There are both high and low limits to this pay though and the benefits stop when the worker returns to work.
- Partial permanent income benefits – the amount and duration of the benefit depends on the severity of the injury. The injuries usually do not completely prevent people from working, but greatly reduce their ability to perform job tasks.
- Permanent total income benefits – these are for workers who will not be able to obtain gainful employment due to the injuries. The amount is 70% of the average weekly income and is paid initially for a period of 450 weeks, but it can be extended if the employee is still unable to work after the initial 450 weeks.
Suffering injuries at work can cause both physical and financial hardships for employees in New Jersey. People rely on their income to provide for themselves and their families. Even losing income for a few weeks can cause major problems. That is why it is important that injured workers receive the workers’ compensation benefits that they deserve. However, employers may try to minimize the extent of the injury or deny the claim all together. In these situations injured employees may need to appeal the original decision. Experienced attorneys understand this process and may be able to guide one through it.