How to Check the Status of Your NJ Worker’s Comp Claim
Your employer has 21 days to file a claim after you sustain an injury at work. You should always mark the date that you reported the injury.
Remember, you should inform your employer you’ve been injured on the job within 14 days of the injury. In reality, we recommend reporting the injury immediately unless there is some good reason why you can’t. For example, if you end up unconscious and spend three days in the hospital before you wake up, then it wouldn’t be reasonable to expect an immediate report…but you’d want to make the written report as soon as you are medically capable of doing so.
Usually, the New Jersey Division of Worker’s Compensation will notify you directly when the claim is accepted, and you’ll receive notice long before it’s really necessary to start checking the status of your claim.
If you feel like your workers’ compensation claim is moving too slowly, you can contact the Department of Labor to verify whether your employer filed the claim. It’s not unusual for some employers to try to avoid making the report, either because they dispute the injury that occurred at work or because the employer doesn’t really have workers’ compensation insurance.
If the employer has failed to meet its insurance obligations, you can access the New Jersey Uninsured Employer’s Fund, but you’ll need an attorney’s help. You can check the New Jersey Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau to find out if your employer has an active policy. If they don’t, they could be in some hot water, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll get your own benefits quickly without help from a New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney.
An attorney can also check the status of your claim through the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development website.
If the employer has not filed the claim in a timely fashion, it may be time to call a workers’ compensation attorney. It’s also time to call a workers’ compensation attorney if your claim has been denied, as we may be able to help you reverse that decision and obtain the benefits that you need to adjust after an accident at work.
In general, it should take seven days between reporting your injury and receiving your temporary disability benefits. There should be no waiting period for medical benefits.
Our team can help if you’re having trouble with your case. Contact us to schedule your free case evaluation today.
See also:
When is it Time to Hire a New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Lawyer?
