Posts Tagged ‘New Jersey workers’ compensation’
Delay in Your Workers Compensation Claim: What You Can Do
If you suffer a workplace accident the consequences are immediate. After a workplace accident, you need medical attention and time off work – in the event of a serious accident, you need emergency care and weeks (or longer) to recover. These ramifications of an injury or illness are costly and there is every reason to worry about the financial consequences of a workplace accident.
In New Jersey, the state government has recognized the swift and cutting impact of a workplace accident and designed the process for a workers compensation claim to follow suit. An employee is entitled to temporary disability benefits when unable to work for seven days. The first workers compensation check should arrive within two weeks of reporting your workplace accident.
What if this isn’t the case for your workers compensation claim? Some employees wait much longer for their workers compensation claim to begin reimbursement of medical costs or payment of lost wages. At the Law Offices of Albert J. Talone, we take a look at what causes these delays and an employee’s options for getting their workers compensation benefits on time.
Delays by the Insurance Company or Employer
The most common cause of delay to a workers compensation claim is the insurance company. Employers in New Jersey are required to carry workers compensation insurance. These insurance policies protect the employer from exceptional costs, in the event of a workplace injury, but also provide assurance to the employee that a workers compensation claim will …
Read MoreSweater Weather: What Are Common Cold Weather Workplace Injuries?
The seasons are shifting in New Jersey, and for now, the state is buzzing with autumn activities and pumpkin spice. But anyone familiar with the New Jersey fall knows that there are colder temperatures not far behind and so are the hazards of certain workplace injuries. What is now sweater weather and scary movies will soon turn to frosty mornings and cold temperatures.
In most parts of your life, it is wholly acceptable to ignore the approaching winter and cold weather, but not when it comes to preparation and planning for workplace injuries. There are entirely new hazards and concerns for the winter months, and the time to address these workplace risks is right now.
Whether you are an employee or employer this is the best time to start preparing for cold weather workplace injuries in New Jersey. Here are five of the common cold weather injuries and accidents you can take steps to avoid.
#1: Slips, Trips and Falls Increase Drastically
One common sign that winter is coming to the workplace is a gigantic leap in the number of slip and fall accidents that are reported to workers’ compensation insurance during the winter months. The cause of many slip and fall workplace injuries is probably obvious – frost, ice, and inclement weather – but these hazards are still overlooked by too many employers.
First, many employers put off their winter weather procedures, such as buying salt and bringing shovels out of storage, until the initial winter weather hits their …
Read MoreHow to Handle Minor Injuries in the New Jersey Workplace
As a New Jersey workers’ compensation lawyer, the serious and severe workplace injuries receive the majority of time and attention in this blog. We discuss how to handle the medical costs associated with a workplace injury and what happens when your employer refuses to cover an expensive claim. However, minor injuries shouldn’t fly under the radar.
It’s important for workers in New Jersey to understand how to handle minor injuries. These injuries are subject to the same rule and regulations as a very serious injury and also entitled to the same recovery from New Jersey workers’ compensation insurance. Here are a few tips for handling a minor injury in the workplace.
Report All Workplace Injuries to Your Employer
Did you know that nearly half of all workplace injuries go unreported in the United States? The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that nearly half of all serious injuries are unreported and very few workers inform their employers of minor injuries. Even in industries where the number of workplace injuries is high, a substantial number of minor injuries go unreported.
Not telling your employer about a minor injury is problematic. First, you must inform an employer of an injury to initiate the insurance and healthcare process. Whether you visit the emergency room or later require additional care for an injury, you can’t recover the medical costs without telling your employer about the injury.
Second, you are required to inform your employer of an injury within a specified amount of …
Read MoreHow to Prevent the Back Injuries Plaguing the New Jersey Workplace
Back injuries are a major cause of missed workdays and leave of absence in the New Jersey workplace. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which collects employment, workers’ compensation, and workplace injury data for the entire United States, estimates there are over one million workers impacted by back injuries last year. This means back injuries accounted for nearly 20% of all workplace injuries in 2017.
The trends for workplace injuries are similar to those for the rest of the United States, and the Garden State sees a high number of back injuries reported to workers’ compensation each year. A back injury lawyer is busy with these claims that come from individuals of all ages and professions.
What Are the Main Causes of Back Injuries?
A back injury lawyer will represent workers hurt in a multitude of different accidents. Some people can cite to a specific moment or accident that caused their ongoing back pain, while other workers point to repeated motions or actions over a period of weeks, months, or years. Yet, it is possible to delineate three common causes of the back injuries in the New Jersey workplace.
First, improper lifting techniques when moving or pushing a heavy object, machine, or inventory is the leading cause of workplace back injuries. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 75% of all back injuries result from this single cause. In New Jersey, nurses, occupational therapists, construction workers, retail employees, and air transport workers are some of the professions reporting an extraordinary number …
Read MoreWhy the High Number of Workplace Injuries in Hospitality?
It may surprise you to learn that hospitality is one of the most injury-prone professions in the United States (a list of other industries with an unexpected number of workplace injuries can be found here). The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that for every 100 full-time workers in hospitality 3.4 are injured or fall ill each year because of a workplace accident. Of those injured or ill, over half require time off work to recover.
The total number of workplaces injuries in hospitality is higher than in manufacturing, warehouses, and other industrial work.
Given there are several million people working in the hospitality industry, at hotels, restaurants, bars, and in tourism, the days off from a workplace injury amount to a lot of missed hours and uncovered shifts. What are the risks and hazards in the hospitality industry? Why does this industry experience a high number of workplace injuries each year?
Manual Handling or Pushing, Pulling, and Lifting
Throughout the hospitality industry employees are required to lift, push, and pull heavy inventory and objects. The result is that nearly 50% of all workplace injuries in the hotel industry, and similar numbers in bar and restaurant work come from manual handling.
When busing tables, you need to lift heavy bins of plates, cups, and silverware. Likewise, wait staff carries heavy trays from the kitchen to table many times a day. If you are working in housekeeping, you constantly life mattresses, push heavy cleaning carts and move furniture. Think bartenders have …
Read More5 Careers with a Surprising Number of Workplace Injuries
It comes as no surprise that certain professions have a high number of workplace injuries. For example, construction sites, nursing, and warehouse work all require a great deal of manual labor and manipulation of heavy objects. It follows that back, neck, and shoulder injuries happen on a regular basis in these jobs.
Other jobs involve the use of heavy equipment. Likewise, these careers are prone to a high number of injuries on the job. For example, working on an assembly line or in factory production is more likely to result in an injury than accounting in an office.
Lastly, there is an entire subset of professions and workplaces that people are always surprised to hear have a high number of employee injuries. We will cover five careers with a surprising number of workplace injuries, and discuss why these jobs are prone to accident.
#1: Hairdressers and Beauticians
Working as a beautician or hairdresser is surprisingly dangerous. Last year working as a beautician was named one of the most accident-prone jobs in the entire United Kingdom, and here in New Jersey, a shocking number of hairdressers are hurt each year. What is more surprising than the number of hairdressers hurt every year? Injuries to hairdressers and beauticians happen for a wide variety of reasons.
Of course, the most common workplace injury for a hairdresser is a cut or snip from scissors or a razor. These tools are used daily in the profession, and while handled with skill, sudden movements by …
Read MoreReporting a Workplace Injury: Timing, Tips & What You Need to Know
If you sustain a workplace injury, a first step is reporting the incident and injury to your supervisor, manager, or boss. Despite the necessity of this conversation, it’s intimidating for many New Jersey workers to walk into a human resources department or supervisor’s office and discuss an accident. However, these conversations are beneficial for both the employer and employee and could ultimately save your job down the road.
This list of timing information, tips, and what you need to know about workers’ compensation laws in New Jersey can help make notifying your boss of a workplace injury much easier.
#1: When Should You Notify Your Employer?
The best possible time to notify your employer about a workplace injury is immediately after it occurs. Early reporting prevents a number of problems or complications later on. For example, if you fail to report an injury or possible injury, then your employer could question how and when the injury occurred and if it even occurred at work.
As well, reporting also allows your employer to begin a workers’ compensation claim with the insurance provider. In New Jersey, your employer and the insurance company are allowed to choose the doctor or specialist you see for medical treatment. In order for a provider to be selected, you need to have the proper paperwork in place with the insurance company.
#2: Can My Boss Fire Me for Reporting an Injury?
Many employees fear that reporting an injury, particularly one that will require time off work, will …
Read MoreHurt at the Office Holiday Party, Can You File for Workers’ Compensation?
Throughout the holiday season, and even into the New Year, employers show their appreciation for employees by hosting a company holiday party. These events are intended as celebrations and joyful affairs for the company’s employees. Sometimes gifts are exchanged or dinner is provided. Other employers turn their conference room into a winter wonderland, and some rent an event space. One of the biggest decisions is whether or not to include alcohol as part of the party.
The festive environment not only increases employee morale and commitment but also encourages co-workers to step away from work and form personal relationships. These parties can be essential to retention and company culture. However, each year in New Jersey several employees leave the office holiday party with injuries.
Common Injuries at the Office Holiday Party
The office holiday party provides the perfect environment for certain injuries. These parties almost always involve food and drink, which is spilled and sloshed throughout the night. Unlike a normal workday, other employees are far less likely to clean up these spills. Slick or wet floors lead to slips and falls. It isn’t unusual for a few employees to leave with bumps, bruises, or even broken bones from a slippery floor. These spills are even more dangerous when out on the dance floor, where employees are already prone to lower back injuries and other strains.
As well, holiday celebrations also include extra decorations. Even if the holiday party is hosted at the office, employers will rent or buy …
Read More4 Common Workplace Injuries in the Office and Tips to Avoid Them
Offices are generally safe and secure places to work in New Jersey. Unlike construction sites and industrial warehouses, you don’t usually encounter heavy machinery or the need for strenuous manual labor, and unlike nursing or other medical professions there is limited lifting, pushing and pulling. Yet, the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics estimated that in the finance and insurance industries, professions that typically operate out of traditional office space, one in every 100 employees were injured at work last year.
These workplace injuries spanned a surprising range of type and severity. Yet, just as nursing is particularly prone to neck and back injuries, and falls are common to working in construction – certain workplace injuries are more common than others in offices. Office managers, human resources, and upper management can save considerable costs and improve the working environment by proactively addressing the most frequent office injuries.
#1: Slips, Trips & Falls
Across industries, slips, trips and falls account for more workplace injuries than any other cause. These unfortunate accidents require employees to take significant time off work and are a major source of workers’ compensation claims in New Jersey. This includes claims that come from office workers, who are actually 2.5 more likely to slip or trip at work than workers in any other environment or industry.
Unsuspecting office employees are victims of hidden and overlooked trip and fall hazards every day. For instance, a huge number of office employees trip on cords, cables and wiring that are stretched across …
Read MoreHow to Prove a Repetitive Motion Injury for NJ Workers’ Compensation
When it comes to NJ workers’ compensation, many applicable injuries happen in an instant. For example, an employee trips over an extension cord and fractures her arm, or a delivery driver is injured in a motor vehicle accident on his route. While there can be other issues with these claims, it is pretty clear that the incident and resulting injuries were job-related. However, a substantial number of workplace injuries aren’t so clear-cut, for example a repetitive motion injury.
When an employee is injured due to a repetitive motion, such as typing on a keyboard for long hours or twisting to sort different components of a product on an assembly line, there is less certainty how and when the injury occurred. In these examples, and hundreds of similar situations in NJ workers’ compensation, evidence of the injury becomes substantially more important.
What Is a Repetitive Motion Injury?
Repetitive motion injuries are those ongoing aches and pains that arise gradually and over time. It can take months or even years at a specific job before there is any indication of the injury, and many employees continue to work through the initial warning signs of a potential injury.
These injuries often manifest in the neck, back, shoulders, and extremities. In terms of diagnosis, carpal tunnel, tendinitis, and bursitis.
Certain professions are more susceptible to repetitive motion injuries and resulting NJ workers’ compensation claims. Some of these jobs are transportation operators, such as bus drivers, school teachers, factory workers, painters, custodians, typists and …
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