When an employee is hurt on the job in New Jersey, it is their responsibility to inform a supervisor or someone else with authority. The worker should report the incident either immediately after it happens or as soon as they are able to do so after receiving medical attention. Employers in the Garden State also have a set of responsibilities on their end. First of all, they must notify their insurance carrier immediately after an injured worker reports an incident.
By reporting the incident, an employer sets the rest of the workers’ compensation process in motion. The employer’s insurance provider then files a First Report of Injury with the state. The claim is subsequently evaluated by the insurance carrier to determine if it meets the criteria dictated by WC law. After a decision is made, the employer’s WC insurer will contact the employer, the injured employee and their medical provider. If the compensation claim is accepted, the insurer will direct the affected employee to an authorized medical provider to receive treatment.
If an injury keeps an employee off the job for more than a week, the insurer will provide benefits for their disability, provided that the claim was accepted. Normally, these benefits will continue throughout the duration of a worker’s recovery and rehabilitation period. Sometime within the first 26 weeks after an employee returns to work or achieves their maximum medical improvement, the employer’s insurance provider must submit a Subsequent Report of Injury form to New Jersey’s Division of Workers’ Compensation. The injured worker will also receive a copy of this document.
Should a workers’ compensation claim be denied, an injured worker can either file a claim petition or request an informal hearing. A lawyer may get involved if an injured employee needs some assistance gathering the required documentation or preparing for the hearing. In some situations, an attorney could help a worker’s family secure death benefits if an employee is either killed while working or dies as a direct result of their injuries.