Month: February 2022

Getting injured at work can be a frustrating experience. Aside from the physical pain you must endure, your finances and ability to work can be greatly impacted. Fortunately, New Jersey provides employees with a level of protection in these situations – workers’ compensation – but it can be a complicated process. Initial workers’ compensation award Once you’ve been injured, the system kicks in and classifies the injury you suffered. In addition to medical treatment for the injury itself, workers’ compensation provides benefits to replace lost wages. The length of time you receive those benefits depends on the injury classification, which can be either a temporary disability or a permanent disability. Was there a change in circumstances later on? Most injuries will heal, given appropriate treatment and sufficient time, but this is not always the case. An employee can become permanently disabled, either partially or totally. And their condition is not always static and never changing. There are instances where an employee’s injury, and its complications, change and deteriorate over time. When this happens, the initial classification or benefit awarded may no longer be appropriate. When circumstances change, employees are entitled to request a modification to their benefits, so that they […]

Many people in New Jersey would agree that we live in a 24/7 society. Whether it is working third-shift, burning the midnight oil at our jobs, staying up with a sick child or simple insomnia, there are many reasons why we do not get enough sleep at night. One thing we should all avoid, however, is driving if we are too drowsy to focus on safely operating our vehicles. The statistics Drowsy driving is a serious problem on U.S. roads. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2017 approximately 91,000 motor vehicle accidents in the U.S. involved drowsy drivers. These collisions led to approximately 50,000 people being injured and claimed the lives of a further 800. However, it is not always easy to determine if drowsiness played a roll in a car crash, and the NHTSA reports that these numbers may be underestimated. Tips for avoiding drowsy driving The following are some tips for avoiding drowsy driving. First, try to get seven to eight hours of sleep nightly. Note that teenagers may need more sleep than this. Avoid drunk driving. Alcohol can cause sleepiness as well as intoxication. In addition, certain medications both prescription and over-the-counter cause drowsiness. […]

Workplace injuries are, unfortunately, quite common in New Jersey and throughout the country. Most employers take significant steps to ensure worker safety, but sometimes that isn’t enough. Sometimes, workplace injuries are simply unavoidable. Injured workers can face any number of issues, but one of the most challenging is what they will do about their income if they are unable to return to work right away after the injury. Fortunately, the workers’ compensation system is in place for just such a situation. Benefits Some of our readers may know that the workers’ compensation system is intended to, at least partially, replace some of an injured worker’s wages in the event of a workplace accident. However, there are also medical benefits as well. If everything is covered under the terms of workers’ compensation, the injured employee will usually be directed to a medical provider who will treat the patient. All of this is intended to take place regardless of who was at fault for the workplace accident that caused the employee’s injury. And, in exchange, the worker is not able to take legal action against the employer for the workplace accident – at least in most cases. Unfortunately, even injured workers who […]