What to Do if You Hurt Your Back at Work in New Jersey?
If you injure your back while on the job there are a number of practical and legal steps that are required down the road. Eventually, a workers’ compensation claim will need to be filed with the Division of Workers’ Compensation in New Jersey. However, at the onset there are two immediate concerns for an injured employee. The first is seeking medical attention; and second, employees need to inform their employer of the injury.
Seek Medical Attention
In the event of a workplace injury, health and safety concerns are incredibly important. Care should be taken not to aggravate or worsen the injury, and if necessary, a visit or admittance to the hospital should be arranged. The sooner you obtain medical care, the better for ensuring the injury heals properly and when it comes to providing documentation and proof of the injury in a workers’ compensation claim.
Inform Your Employer ASAP
The other task of high importance after experiencing a back injury, whether from lifting a heavy object or moving something bulky, is to inform an employer. Reporting an injury to an employer will eliminate disputes and problems down the road.
In some instances, employees feel that they do not require immediate medical attention. Perhaps, in the act of lifting a heavy object you felt strain on your back. There was a brief spasm of pain and then it subsided. You go throughout your workday with some mild discomfort, but it does not progress to anything serious, so you do not tell your supervisor. After an hour on the couch at home, you can hardly stand upright. You go to sleep that night knowing there is a potential injury, but without taking further action. A week later, when the back injury persists, you decide it is necessary to see a doctor.
This process of decision-making and events is common among employees of all professions and industries. There is a hesitancy to admit a seemingly minor injury to superiors and employers. However, withholding or disguising a workplace injury, even for a short period of time, is against the financial and future interest of an employee. Even if the back injury seems minor or insignificant, a superior should be informed immediately.
Effects of Not Reporting an Injury
Without a report or notice of the injury from the employee, the employer can later deny that the back injury happened or argue that it occurred outside the workplace. After seeking medical attention and learning the extent of a workplace injury, employees in New Jersey are entitled to specific compensation and benefits under the
When an employee reports an injury, the employer is required to provide subsequent notice to their insurance provider, which will result in a First Report of Injury filed with the State of New Jersey. This initial documentation is the start of a chain that will carry on throughout a workers’ compensation claim. As well, an injury must be reported in a timely manner in order for the employee to recover workers’ compensation benefits later on. Providing notice and information to your employer is a necessary step to obtaining the workers’ compensation benefits in New Jersey.
Contact an Attorney
If you are injured at work in New Jersey, whether it is a back injury or otherwise, you may be entitled to the benefits and compensation of the workers’ compensation scheme in New Jersey. The best way to find out the steps necessary to obtain these benefits is by contacting a NJ Workers Compensation Lawyer. Albert J. Talone has years of experience in the area of workers’ compensation right here in New Jersey. Call our office at (856)-234–4023 or find us online for an initial consultation and evaluation of your claim.
