If you have been the victim of a workplace-related injury, you will most likely be eligible for workers compensation that will take care of your medical bill and other injury-related expenses. Knowing your rights is vital to navigating the often complex process of filing for and receiving workers compensation benefits and you may need to enlist the help of an experienced lawyer to do so. At the Law Office of John L. Schettino, we have helped thousands of individuals like yourself receive their full workers compensation rights. Here is a brief run-down of what you should know in situations of workers compensation for a work-related injury or illness.
Preventative Steps:
If you’ve ever suffered a major illness or injury, chances are there were some warning signs that you missed as it was beginning. Every time there is an accident at work, you should be sure to report it and include your involvement in the incident, even if you don’t believe at the time that you’ve been injured. This is a necessary precaution to make sure that you’ll have a substantial paper trail for receiving your workers compensation benefits, as well as providing necessary updates to any safety concerns in the workplace for yourself and your co-workers.
Immediately After:
After any kind of accident in which you sustain injuries, you should immediately get checked out by a doctor, as well as filling out your accident report. If you have a serious injury that requires immediate care, go to the emergency room. If it’s a different type of injury and not as critical, you should still talk to your employer about going to another doctor. You could use a doctor chosen by your employer, but if you aren’t satisfied by the level of care, you can also go to another as well.
What Workers Comp Provides:
With workers compensation, you should be eligible to receive medical benefits, temporary total benefits, permanent partial benefits, or permanent total benefits, depending on your injury and its effect on your abilities to remain at work. Under NJ law, dependents can also receive benefits if the worker who was supporting them died as a result of their employment. Unlike many other insurance issues, injured employees are entitled to their workers compensation benefits even if they were at fault. Receiving these benefits does mean that the worker will not be able to press civil action against the company regarding to the incident, unless it was intentionally done. Benefits will be explained in length in a following post.
When Facing Difficulties:
If your supervisor is not complying with workers compensation rights, or giving you a hard time about seeking medical care, it may be in your best interests to hire a workers compensation attorney. At John L. Schettino law, we can provide a free phone consultation and work with you to receive your full benefits that you are entitled to for your individual case. Contact me at (201) 498-9768 for a free consultation on your rights how I can best represent you.