Unfortunately, regardless of your industry, workplaces have varying degrees of danger. Even office jobs come with the risk of potential accidents and injuries that can leave an employee with various damages, preventing them from earning a living. As such, injured workers are entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim, which, if approved, can provide them with numerous benefits to help them get back on their feet again. However, a workers’ compensation claim can be denied. In such cases, many injured parties wonder whether they can appeal a workers’ compensation award if they disagree with the outcome. Please continue reading to learn what to do if you disagree with a workers’ compensation award and how our competent Middlesex County Workplace Accidents Attorneys can help you today.
What is workers’ compensation?
Like many other states in New Jersey, most employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance. When a worker becomes injured or suffers an illness while on the job, worker’s compensation provides cash benefits that can cover medical care, wage replacement, vocational rehabilitation, and other benefits to those who’ve been hurt as a direct result of their job.
Can I appeal a worker’s compensation decision in New Jersey?
If you’re unhappy with a workers’ compensation award, you can file an appeal to challenge the decision. Unfortunately, your workers’ compensation claim may be denied despite falling ill or being injured while on the job. In some cases, workers’ compensation claims are denied because an injured worker did not follow all of the proper procedures, such as missing deadlines, or their injury is not severe enough for a viable claim. In such cases, you can appeal a workers’ compensation decision. It is imperative to note that your workers’ compensation claim must be filed within 90 days of the date that you sustained your workplace injury. If your employer’s insurance company denies your original claim and you disagree with their conclusion, you typically have 15 days to appeal the decision.
If you feel like the decision made about your worker’s compensation claim was incorrect, or you disagree with the award amount, you can file a claim with the Division of Workers’ Compensation and request an informal hearing. During this hearing, you’ll have the opportunity to present evidence to support your claim to the judge on why the award was insufficient to cover the costs of the damages you’ve incurred. Unfortunately, even though you can appeal a workers’ compensation decision, that does not mean your appeal’s outcome will be favorable. Therefore, you should hire an experienced attorney to help maximize your chances of proving you received an insufficient award for your damages.
If you’ve recently been injured on the job or fallen ill, it is in your best interest to contact a determined Middlesex County workplace accident attorney from the legal team at Stathis & Leonardis, who can help assess your case and passionately fight for what you deserve. We are prepared to guide you through every step of the complex appeals process in New Jersey.
