Blog

July 6, 2015

During those unfortunate times in which you’re forced to file for Workers’ Compensation, you might be thinking to yourself, “This is between me and my boss. Why do I need to involve a lawyer? Won’t that just make things worse? The fact is that filing a Workers’ Compensation claim can be a confusing and complicated process that takes all of your time and leaves you going in circles. There are a number of claim-related issues for which you will need effective legal representation, including but not limited to: Maximum Payouts You will rarely be entitled to a…

June 30, 2015

In the category of “accidents happen, here are two tremendously upsetting stories that left victims’ loved ones in mourning. The commonalities between these accidents that occurred a week apart is that they were both in Brooklyn and both the result of mishaps on construction sites. First, a Flatbush man, 44, fell at least 30 feet on a Brooklyn construction site where he was working on March 26. He died after suffering serious head injuries. Apparently, according to police reports, he was standing on a ladder and slipped and fell. A week later, another construction worker, 54, fell six…

June 8, 2015

As the fight for higher minimum wage rages across the country, many are saying that the “fight for $15 may lead to a hike in Workers’ Compensation costs for businesses. Companies with a large concentration of hourly employees would face increased costs from providers due to the increased insurance premiums related to such a dramatic rise in hourly wages. Workers’ Comp policy premiums are directly tied to the amount of payroll that a business pays. Why should you care? If you are an employee who goes to work to do an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay…

June 1, 2015

Many people who have slipped and fallen on hard pavement experience serious injuries to their back, head and shoulders. More often than not, these falls could have been prevented had a certain building owner or superintendent been more careful to keep up safety standards. Unfortunately, these slip and fall accidents can cost victims a lot of money in medical bills, lost wages lost and significant pain and suffering. The good news is that New Jersey law protects people from having to foot the bill for their own medical expenses stemming from preventable accidents. The laws in place also cover…

May 26, 2015

A common misconception held by many people, especially those who do physical labor, is that wearing proper footwear will prevent slip and falls. This is an understandable myth. Considering the workplace regulations that require workers to have OSHA-approved shoes, it’s understandable why workers people think that grippy shoes will immediately equate to never slipping or tripping while on the job. People who fell, tripped or slipped during work often are called klutzes because of it. This couldn’t be further from the truth! Slipping and falling can happen for a variety of reasons – even if the person who…

May 18, 2015

Personal injury can cause much greater financial stress than medical bills alone. It is not uncommon for those injured to also experience emotional suffering, loss of wages and even the loss of a spouse’s wages while he or she cares for the victim. In 2010, a New Jersey woman was injured in a head-on collision, suffering permanent damage to her spine and neck. Last week, a Somerset County jury awarded $3.5 million to a Washington Township woman for her injuries. Of the $3.5 million, $2.75 million was for the harm and loss she suffered, and $750K was awarded to…

May 11, 2015

Most of us are able to just go to work and not worry about being assaulted. Some of us, however, aren’t so lucky. In 2013, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 23,000 work-related assaults, 70 percent of which occurred within the healthcare and social service industries. These workers are at a much higher risk for assault by the populations they serve, which is why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has updated its guidelines to give these professionals more workplace protections. The guidelines are meant to focus on creating safer work environments. The updates take aim at examining…

May 4, 2015

When there is an accident in the workplace and someone gets hurt, the first course of action – right after tending to the medical emergency – is to file for Workers’ Compensation benefits. In most cases in New Jersey, you will not be able to sue your employer, but you can take advantage of government-mandated Workers’ Comp insurance your employer must carry for you and other workers. It should be easy enough to get the benefits you need. Unfortunately, one-size-doesn’t-fit-all when it comes to insurance carriers. You can file the paperwork only to find out that the insurance company…

April 27, 2015

Injured employees living in Warren, Somerset and Hunterdon Counties celebrated a significant victory last month as the State has decided to keep the Workers’ Comp court serving those counties open. Originally this court, which is one of 15 currently operating in New Jersey, was slated to close due to budgetary concerns; however after widespread opposition from the New Jersey Advisory Council on Health and Safety (an organization of attorneys who represent injured workers in NJ Workers’ Comp courts) and the New Jersey State Bar Association, the State backed off plans to close down the court. Protests stemmed from the inconvenience…

April 6, 2015

A building owner’s duty to himself and visitors is to make sure that the building is as safe as possible. This means that the building owner needs to do his or her best to fall-proof their building. Whether it is an apartment, a home or a business environment, every building owner can do the following things to help keep people fall-free. Keep electrical cords and other ropes away from areas that have foot traffic. People often trip over electrical cords, and when they are put in heavily trafficked areas, the can easily become a hazard. If snow is about, throw…