Countless New Jersey workers face the everyday risk of getting injured on the job. That is why workers’ compensation was created, to help injured workers to pay for their medical expenses and compensate their lost wages following an accident. Workers here in Essex and Newark should understand that they may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits regardless of who is at fault in the accident. Filing a workers’ compensation claim also prevents workers from suing their employers following a workplace injury accident.
In Lakewood, New Jersey, which is south of Newark, a construction worker almost died last month after he was injured by a chop saw. Fortunately, a New Jersey State Police trooper saved him by applying QuikClot, which helped stabilize the worker’s condition. Reports indicated that the 31-year-old worker was using the tool when it bounced back and cut into his chest. The trooper quickly arrived at the scene of the accident and performed first aid, which helped the victim. The worker was sent to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Following any form of workplace injury accident, workers should keep track of their timelines so that they are not subject to disqualification of workers’ compensation. Injured workers have to follow protocols in order for them to obtain the benefits to which they are entitled. In the event that a claim is denied, the worker may also appeal the claim.
To know more about workers’ compensation claims in New Jersey, workers may also seek legal representation. By doing so, injured workers may have better insight into the list of benefits to which they are entitled, such as lost wages and medical expenses. Workers may also seek legal help to determine the appropriate amount of compensation for recovery. All of these are necessary in order for the injured worker to undergo rehabilitation or any needed therapy and eventually to return to the workforce.
Source: The Star-Ledger, “State trooper aids construction worker injured by chop saw on Garden State Parkway,” Erin O’Neill, Sept. 25, 2013