Category | Workers' compensation
What to expect for workers’ comp benefits under Trump in 2025
With Donald Trump returning to office in 2025, workers’ compensation benefits may undergo significant changes. Based on his previous administration, injured workers and employers should prepare for shifts in policies, regulations, and benefit access. Knowing what to expect and how to protect yourself will be essential. Possible changes to workers’...
When working in the heat leads to harm
Working in a hot environment is risky business, as heat-related illnesses or injuries can result in serious consequences for an individual’s health. If you’ve been negatively affected by heat exposure on the job, it’s important to take immediate steps to protect your health and secure any compensation to which you...
Workers’ comp law now provides expanded coverage for first responders
First responders have physically and emotionally stressful jobs – they often deal with life-and-death emergencies daily. While they have workers’ compensation coverage, this coverage hasn’t always addressed all medical conditions that are directly related to their jobs. This January, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed a new law that expands...
Is your job causing you back pain?
Back pain is a common issue that affects millions of workers in the U.S. Whether you’re lifting heavy objects, sitting for long periods or performing repetitive tasks, back pain can significantly impact your quality of life and your ability to perform your job duties. As such, knowing what to do...
Falls while working can lead to serious injuries for employees
Some jobs are obviously dangerous because they involve work performed at a significant elevation. Construction workers, for example, have higher fatality rates than those in many other professions because they must do their work had a significant elevation. Falls are a leading cause of death in the construction industry. Obviously,...
What if someone gets into a crash while on the clock?
Some people don’t make it to work in the morning because they end up involved in a collision during their morning commute. The vast majority of working professionals in New Jersey have to arrive at work in person and could end up hurt because of their daily commute. If a...
Workplace violence has become a major safety concern
Workplace safety issues are sometimes industry-specific concerns. People can get hurt by heavy equipment in a factory or fall off of ladders when they work as house painters. Someone in the kitchen may need to worry about cutting themselves or suffering a burn, while someone who drives as part of...
What is maximum medical improvement for an injured worker?
Most employees working for New Jersey companies benefit from workers’ compensation coverage. If they get hurt on the job or develop a medical condition directly related to their employment, they may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Those benefits can be very valuable for someone in need of medical care. The...
The risk of burns in manufacturing
Burn injuries in manufacturing can arise from several sources. Chemical burns are common and result from exposure to industrial chemicals or solvents. Thermal burns are often caused by contact with hot machinery, steam or open flames, a typical occurrence in manufacturing environments. Electrical burns can occur due to malfunctions or...
The dangers of workplace eye injuries
Unfortunately, workplace injuries are far too common in New Jersey. While some of these injuries may heal, others may be much more permanent and have higher costs for a person’s ability to live as before. This is certainly true of eye injuries that occur while on the clock. Causes of...
Dealing with workplace hernias
You can often end up with a work-related hernia regardless of your New Jersey occupation, although some jobs are more likely to produce one than others. While these injuries are easy to diagnose, you don’t necessarily have to stop performing your job as you may have in the past. Getting...
Employers need to take workplace back injuries seriously
Many people in New Jersey have jobs that place continuous physical demands on their bodies. If you have a strenuous occupation, then you need to protect yourself from back injuries. Your employer also has a legal duty to promote safe work practices that lower the risk of back injuries and...
Workers’ compensation and driving
New Jersey highways fill with drivers going to and from work every morning and evening. As you know, your employer is responsible for providing a safe workplace. In most cases, an employer isn’t responsible for what happens on your commute to work. However, a business isn’t always exempt from being...
What is the general timeline for workers’ compensation claims?
Many people who are injured on the job in New Jersey often wonder how long it will take before they can return to work. This issue is crucial, but so is how long processing of the related workers’ compensation claim will take. Carefully follow all filing steps All workers’ compensation...
How mental health intersects with workers’ comp
For many decades, mental health struggles were a social taboo in New Jersey, and that extended to the workplace. While countless people suffered from mental health issues, they tended to be kept under wraps, and as a result employers rarely had to directly address mental health. However, our society is...
Metalworkers face dangers at their jobs
Metalworkers serve a vital duty in the industrial industry. Without their skills, an untold number of products would never reach New Jersey consumers. The tasks performed by metalworkers come with many hazards, as injury risks exist. The injuries range from minor to life-altering. Metalworking hazards Metalworkers must handle various materials...
Workers rights 101: What is workers’ comp and how much am I owed?
Workers’ compensation is an insurance plan that provides workers with benefits in the event of an on-the-job injury or illness. Like any insurance policy, it is not always easy for an injured or ill worker to get the compensation they are due. This piece will dive into some of the...
What are some of the most common workplace injuries?
New Jersey employers must comply with the laws to ensure that their workers stay safe. However, even when precautions are in place, workplace accidents can still occur. These are some of the most common ones and the injuries they can cause. Slip-and-falls Slip-and-fall accidents are very common in the workplace...
Workers’ comp for chronic fatigue syndrome
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is a complex and often debilitating condition that can make it difficult or impossible for New Jersey sufferers to work. While workers’ compensation may be available to help support individuals with work-related injuries or illnesses, the availability of benefits for those with CFS can be less...
First responders often develop job-related PTSD
First responders in New Jersey and around the country have very dangerous jobs. Police officers risk being killed or injured in the line of duty, firefighters are expected to enter burning buildings, and paramedics often provide medical treatment just feet away from moving traffic, and all first responders must cope...
Amazon faces OSHA sanctions for unsafe warehouse conditions
Almost half of the warehouse workers in New Jersey and around the country who are injured in on-the-job accidents each year are employed by the online retailer Amazon. That was one of the findings made by researchers from a coalition of labor unions who studied injury data submitted to the...
Work-related hearing loss is extremely common
Hearing loss is extremely common in New Jersey and around the country. About one in 10 adults suffer from chronic hearing problems, and almost a quarter of them were injured by exposure to loud noises or toxic chemicals in the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has strict regulations...
Shoulder injuries are common in the trucking industry
Truck drivers in New Jersey and around the country are more likely to miss work because of a job-related injury than people employed in other fields, and it is often shoulder ailments that prevent them from getting behind the wheel and earning a living. Back problems are even more common...
A closer look at each step of the workers’ compensation process
Many hard-working people in New Jersey depend on the safety of their jobs to earn a living. Unfortunately, a safe workplace isn’t always guaranteed. If you experience an injury at work, there’s a set of steps you should follow. Here’s a quick walk-through of the workers’ compensation process. Report your...
Workplace safety tips
Working in a safe and healthy environment is not just a personal and workplace responsibility because it is the right thing for you and others, but it is also required by New Jersey state laws. While every job is unique, here are some tips that apply to almost every employee....
Shoulder injuries common in trucker drivers
Owing to the nature of their job, New Jersey truck drivers are always at risk of a wide range of injuries. Shoulder injuries are among the most common ones, and they’re the reason many truck drivers end up filing workers’ compensation claims. What causes shoulder injuries among truck drivers? One...
Facts about workplace shoulder injuries in New Jersey
Workplace shoulder injuries are some of the common injuries that workers in many different industries face. If you’ve experienced this type of injury, then you know how devastating it can be, but you should also know that workers’ compensation laws and regulations are designed to protect employees like you from...
Using eye protection effectively in construction
Construction workers in New Jersey and other states suffer from a lot of eye injuries. In fact, the construction industry in general has more eye injuries than any other U.S. workforce. However, many construction-related eye injuries can be avoided when proper eye protection is worn. Eye protection is essential The...
Do workers’ compensation claims get automatic approval?
Worker’ compensation insurance provides you with a safety net if you suffer a work-related accident or illness. Because it is a no-fault insurance, you might assume that the insurers automatically approve all claims they receive. Sadly, the truth is very different, and many people submit their claims only to have...
Do you lose workers’ comp when you go back to work?
Many New Jersey employees assume that their workers’ compensation benefits end after they go back to work. This might be the case if you go back to work full-time after making a full recovery. However, you might be able to continue collecting benefits if you can’t work as much as...
Common injuries in the hospitality industry
No matter the type of tourism a location provides, it’s likely that the hospitality industry is right there to ensure that everyone has somewhere to stay at night and somewhere to eat. One of the most common hospitality components includes hotels and restaurants. Much like any other business, hotels and...
Study says older, larger companies benefit by neglecting safety
Workers in New Jersey may want to think about how their employer is or is not ensuring their safety. The larger the company, the more resources it has to maintain safety. At the same time, a larger company is more likely to actually neglect safety. One international study has concluded...
SCHEDULED LOSS OF USE AWARDS IN WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIMS
In New Jersey, when you’ve suffered a work-related injury, you have the right to file a workers’ compensation claim for benefits. Technically, they are considered disability payments, rather than wage replacement, but they are typically available for any period during which you are unable to work because of your injury....
SETTLING A WORK COMP CLAIM IN NEW JERSEY
When you have been hurt on the job in New Jersey, you have the option to settle your case before your injury fully heals, or before you’ve reached maximum medical improvement. There may be a number of reasons for doing so-you may simply want to be done with the insurance...
TYPES OF WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BENEFITS
THE BENEFITS AVAILABLE IN A WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CLAIM When you have suffered an injury at work, one that prevents you from fulfilling the requirements of your job, New Jersey law allows you to file a claim for benefits under the state’s workers’ compensation laws. What losses are covered by workers’...