What Does Workers’ Compensation Pay?
Posted October 12th, 2020 by Anthony Carbone.
Categories: Workers Compensation.
Getting injured at work can have severe repercussions on your health and finances. It could also affect your ability to engage in gainful employment. Fortunately, New Jersey has a workers’ compensation system designed to help employees recover from injuries and resume work as soon as possible.
If you are eligible for worker’s compensation, you may be wondering how much you will get in damages. Here is an overview of what workers’ compensation pays in New Jersey.
If you have questions or concerns regarding this matter, contact the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone to speak to an expert Hudson County Workers’ Compensation Attorney.
Temporary Disability Benefits
Temporary disability benefits are awarded to an employee who is unable to work for more than 7 days because of their injuries. In New Jersey, they amount to 70 percent of your average weekly wage and are usually awarded within a specified limit. The 2020 range for weekly benefits is $252 to $945.
Generally, you continue to receive temporary total disability benefits until you:
- Are able to go back to work
- Reach maximum medical improvement. This is a state where you aren’t likely to show improvement even with further treatment.
- Receive a 400-weeks’ worth of benefits.
Permanent Partial Disability Benefits
You are eligible for permanent partial disability benefits if your injury causes lost function or a lasting medical condition but allows you to work in some capacity. The amount you receive will often depend on the extent of lost function, the body part affected, and your wages before the accident.
Common injuries that constitute permanent partial disability include impairments to an eye, arm, hand, foot, or leg. Typically, the injuries are expressed as a percentage of lost function, which corresponds to a maximum amount and duration of compensation.
Permanent Total Disability Benefits
Permanent total disability refers to a situation where you can’t work at all due to your injuries. A doctor determines it after you have reached maximum medical improvement. Once it has been established, you continue to receive benefits at your temporary total rate for up to 450 weeks.
You then undergo another evaluation to prove that you are still unable to work. If this is established, you continue to receive benefits as long as you’re still disabled.
Additional Benefits
In New Jersey, injured workers could be eligible to receive other types of workers’ compensation benefits. These include:
- Medical benefits – As long as your treatment is authorized, you can receive funds to pay for any necessary medical costs.
- Funeral expenses – If an employee dies due to a work-related injury, their family can receive up to $3,500 in funeral and burial costs.
- Death benefits – The spouse, children, or dependents of a deceased employee are entitled to death benefits.
Talk to a Hudson County Workers Compensation Attorney Today
Employers in New Jersey are expected to take out a cover that pays for the medical treatment and rehabilitation of injured workers. The employees can also receive payments for any lost income resulting from their injuries. The process is fast and doesn’t require a lawsuit.
However, the downside is that workers’ compensation does not cover losses such as pain and suffering. This is unless you sue outside the workers’ compensation system.
If you are not satisfied with what workers’ compensation pays in your situation, you can speak to a Hudson County Workers Compensation Attorney about other options available to you.
