Hackensack Workers’ Compensation Attorneys

Individuals can suffer extremely serious injuries while on the job that require costly medical treatment and may prevent them from working for a significant time. Fortunately, the law protects the financial well-being of people who suffer on-the-job injuries or illnesses.

When an individual suffers an injury while working at their job—and while working within the scope of their employment—they should be eligible to recover various workers’ compensation benefits. The same is true if they suffer an occupational illness due to their work.

If you sustained a serious injury or illness while at your job, you should immediately speak with a knowledgeable Hackensack workers’ compensation attorney. The knowledgeable legal team at Reinartz Law Firm has the necessary knowledge and skills to help you recover the benefits you need for your workplace injuries.

Our legal team has recovered millions of dollars in monetary compensation for our clients, including $550,000 for a client who suffered a spinal injury in a construction work accident. Our team is ready to help you file your workers’ compensation claim today.

We know that workers’ comp insurers can be difficult, and many people receive inadequate benefits or a claim denial. We can assist from the beginning of the process and file the most persuasive claim possible. If your employer’s insurance company refuses to compensate you appropriately for your injuries, we can take the necessary legal action on your behalf and, if necessary, pursue your case through the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation System.

For a free case evaluation and legal consultation with a knowledgeable Hackensack workers’ compensation lawyer, please contact our office today for more information.

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What Are Some Common On-the-Job Injuries?

On-the-job injuries come in many shapes and sizes. While on the job, a worker may strain or sprain their muscles, ligaments, or tendons. They may also suffer a soft tissue injury to their wrists, shoulders, neck, or knees. At other times, they may experience a broken bone—or suffer a traumatic head or brain injury if they hit their head while working.

Injuries sustained while on the job can affect certain body parts more than others. Common on-the-job injuries often involve a worker’s feet, legs, knees, joints, tendons, arms, shoulders, and bones.

Fractures are common injuries and can happen to almost any bone in the body. A soft tissue injury, on the other hand, does not involve a broken bone but rather a muscular sprain or strain. However, soft tissue injuries can still be extremely painful and may require one or more surgeries or other medical procedures to correct. In addition, an individual who suffers a soft tissue injury may need to undergo several rounds of physical therapy to feel better and recover fully.

If you experience any of these injuries while you are working at your job, you should obtain prompt medical treatment for your injuries at a hospital emergency room or urgent care facility. The medical provider can order the proper imaging studies, physically examine you, and make an accurate medical diagnosis.

In addition to seeking prompt medical treatment, you should know and understand your legal rights. The experienced Hackensack workers’ compensation attorneys at Reinartz Law Firm can review your rights and help you take the appropriate legal action in your case.

We can also help you determine if you are eligible to pursue a workers’ compensation claim in the system and let you know your potential benefits. Our goal is to help you maximize the monetary compensation and benefits you deserve for any injury or illness you sustain while at work.

What Benefits Are Included In Workers' Compensation?

Workers' compensation benefits are designed to help injured workers get proper medical treatment, payment for time out of work and compensation for permanent injuries. New Jersey employers who have more than one employee must carry workers' compensation insurance for the benefit of their employees, subject to certain requirements.

Medical Costs

Workers' compensation provides and pays for the cost of medical treatment for work-related injuries. Things like emergency room costs, ongoing treatment and prescription medicine may all be covered through Workers' Compensation.

If your injury is an emergency, you should seek medical attention immediately as needed. However, if the injury is non-critical you should immediately contact your employer and request that a claim be opened on your behalf since the Workers' Compensation laws allow the employer to select a qualified medical provider.

Lost Wages

If your injuries prevent you from immediately returning to work, workers' compensation benefits provide temporary disability payments to make up for a portion of lost wages while you are out of work and deemed "temporarily disabled."

The law also provides long-term and permanent disability benefits for injured workers who have sustained a significant injury and may be out of work for a longer period of time.

Risks on the Job in Hackensack, NJ

Some jobs are more dangerous than others, and some workers are more prone to suffering serious injuries and illnesses while they’re on the job. Workers who constantly work around dangerous and heavy equipment and machinery are the most likely to suffer injuries while working.

Common occupations that come with a high risk for injury include:

• Healthcare workers
• Roofers
• Construction workers and contractors
• Truck drivers and other transportation workers
• Utility employees
• Landscapers
• Factory and warehouse workers
• Other laborers

While some industries are riskier than others, anyone working any job can suffer work-related injuries. Office workers might have back issues from non-ergonomic office arrangements or carpal tunnel syndrome from typing every day. Employees can slip and fall in any type of work environment, causing serious injuries.

Whether you suffered an acute injury in a workplace accident, have a repetitive strain injury, or developed a job-related illness, you should qualify for full coverage under your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.

If you suffer an injury while working within the scope of your employment, you should speak with a Hackensack workers’ compensation attorney right away. The skilled legal team at Reinartz Law Firm can pursue a claim for workers’ compensation benefits on your behalf and help you recover the benefits you need to become whole again.

Who Can File a Workers’ Compensation Claim?

Not everyone is eligible to file a workers’ compensation claim in the system. To be eligible for one of these claims, you must ordinarily have suffered an injury while working at your job and within the scope of your employment. “Working within the scope of one’s employment” typically means that the worker was performing a job duty when they suffered an injury.

If a worker suffers an injury while going to work or coming from work, that typically does not fall within the ambit of workers’ compensation law. Therefore, an individual who suffered injuries at that time will not usually be eligible to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits.

If you are eligible to pursue a claim for benefits, our knowledgeable lawyers can assist you with every step of the process. First, we will need to thoroughly review all of your medical treatment records and lost income documentation to determine the benefits you’re potentially entitled to recover.

The lost income documentation must show the days and hours you missed from work and the amount of money you lost. We can also submit photographs of your injuries and other documentation that may help your workers’ compensation case.

Employers in New Jersey have a legal obligation to maintain workers’ compensation insurance coverage for the benefit of their workforce, who may suffer injuries or illnesses while on the job. Therefore, in most cases, your lawyer will deal with the insurance company for your employer when pursuing benefits on your behalf.

Keep in mind that despite their advertisements, insurance companies are not interested in helping accident victims or victims of workplace injuries. Rather, these insurance companies are only interested in helping themselves and safeguarding their bottom line.

To avoid paying out monetary compensation in a workers’ compensation case, many insurance companies and their adjusters will look for pre-existing injuries or symptoms in the injured worker’s medical records. Basically, the insurance company will look for any excuse to get themselves off the hook and avoid paying out benefits as part of a claim.

Your employer’s insurance company will also have experienced and aggressive lawyers representing them. Therefore, you should also have skilled legal representation in your corner fighting for you.

The knowledgeable Hackensack workers’ compensation lawyers at Reinartz Law Firm can review the circumstances of your work with you—including the scope of your work duties—and determine if you may be eligible to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits based upon your injuries. If you are eligible, we can file a claim on your behalf and represent you at any hearings necessary in your case.

Workers’ Comp Benefits in NJ

Injured workers who can establish that they suffered an on-the-job injury or illness should recover various monetary benefits. The benefits that injured workers may receive as part of their workers’ compensation claim will depend on various factors, including the nature and extent of their injuries and the extent of their medical treatment.

Generally speaking, the more serious an injured worker’s injuries, and the more extensive their medical treatment, the higher the monetary benefits they can recover in their workers’ compensation claim. Our attorneys work to ensure you receive the full benefits you need, given the severity of your condition.

First of all, a worker who suffers an injury while on the job may be eligible to recover benefits for all of their related medical expenses. Those medical expenses may include the various costs associated with hospitalizations, doctor visits, medical procedures (including surgeries), and physical therapy visits.

In addition to recovering reimbursement for medical expenses, injured workers may be eligible to recover compensation for a portion of their lost wages. An injured worker must provide supporting documentation which shows the number of days that they missed from work, as well as the total compensation they lost.

In addition to recovering these expenses, you may be eligible to recover various temporary disability and permanency benefits for your work-related injury. Permanency benefits are available when a worker suffers an injury that is unlikely to get better with time. In some instances, a worker who suffers a permanent injury may experience pain and other symptoms for the remainder of their life.

To legally demonstrate that a particular injury is permanent in nature, the injured worker must have a qualified medical provider on their side advocating for them. Moreover, the medical provider must be willing to draft a report in which they indicate, to a reasonable degree of medical probability, that the injury in question is permanent. The report must also detail the types of symptoms the worker may experience for the rest of their life.

The amount of monetary compensation that an injured worker receives for a permanent injury depends upon ratings from the permanency evaluation doctor and the insurance company’s doctor. In some cases, both parties in the workers’ compensation case can agree on a percentage of impairment, while at other times, the matter may need to go to a hearing for an independent determination on permanency.

The experienced Hackensack workers’ compensation lawyers at Reinartz Law Firm can represent you at any hearings in your case and aggressively advocate for all of your legal interests. We can also help you pursue the full amount of monetary benefits that you deserve.

Settling a Workers’ Compensation Claim

In some instances, you can reach a full and final settlement of your workers’ compensation claim with your employer’s insurance company. This usually happens when you have a permanent injury and need disability benefits for the rest of your working life. Instead of paying you monthly benefits for years, an insurance company might prefer to settle on a lump-sum amount and close your claim.

The disadvantage to one of these agreements, however, is that you can give up your right to reopen your case if your work-related injury or illness gets worse. You must ensure that your settlement is enough to cover your future medical expenses and lost wages, possibly for years to come.

Never accept a settlement from an insurance company without the guidance of our attorneys. We can review any offers and advise whether a settlement is sufficient to cover your future benefits.

Learn More from a Hackensack Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today

Many workers who suffer on-the-job injuries are unsure of what they should do or where they should turn for help. Dealing with the severe pain and symptoms of an injury is hard enough without having to deal with legal complications that may arise. Fortunately, the skilled legal team at Reinartz Law Firm can be on your side every step of the way, advocating for you and helping you pursue the benefits that you need.

We can assist you when dealing with insurance company adjusters and zealously advocate for your legal interests at workers’ compensation hearings that may arise in your case. Never allow an insurance company to deny you the benefits you deserve following a workplace injury. Seek help from our dedicated advocates who represent injured workers across the state of New Jersey.

For a free case evaluation and legal consultation with an experienced Hackensack workers’ compensation lawyer, please call us today at (201) 778-4878 or contact us online.

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