Many people go along with their jobs, never thinking about the future and the possibilities that lie ahead. What if you are injured on the job and can no longer perform your duties? Over 130,000 workers’ compensation claims were filed in the state of New Jersey in 2015, which goes to show that a vast amount of employees are at risk of being injured every day.
Many employees don’t realize how important Workers’ Compensation can be or that they are even entitled to workers’ compensation. Depending on the circumstances surrounding the injury and its severity, you may be entitled to a lot more compensation than you realize. When an employee is injured on the job due to unsafe working conditions, it’s the employer’s duty to file a claim on your behalf.
Once a claim is filed, depending on the incident that occurred, an investigation may or may not be conducted. If the incident was related to negligence of the employee, drug testing might be conducted to determine whether the employee was working while under the influence. While Workers’ Compensation is a “no fault” insurance program, the investigation works to protect both the employer and the employee as they help to rule out both fraudulent claims and unsafe working conditions.
As an investigation can have a variety of outcomes, compensation isn’t typically released until it is complete, which can have long lasting financial repercussions. In addition to having to wait to find out if your claim is approved, you may not be fully covered for all your medical expenses. Due to all the nuances surrounding workers’ compensation benefits, it may be beneficial to contact a lawyer to help walk you through the numerous steps involved so that you receive the maximum amount of benefits you are entitled to.