New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Lost Limbs

Seasoned Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Fight to Get Full Benefits for Workers Who Have Lost a Limb on the Job in NJ

Everyone understands the potential impact of a lost arm, hand or finger.  The loss will permanently impact your personal life and the way, or even whether  you will be able to perform your job.  Certain types of work may be off-limits going forward.  Workers’ Compensation benefits give you the financial resources you need when your injury occured at work.

Workers’ Compensation laws are detailed and complex.  You need a lawyer on your side who knows how to get the fair compensation you need to focus on your recovery.  At Team Law, our trusted New Jersey Workers’ Compensation lawyers bring more than 60 years’ experience to the table.  We know the law and we know the system—and we use that knowledge to your advantage.

In most work-related loss of limb cases, it is beyond question that the injury happened at work.  So why do you need a lawyer?  Unfortunately, even the Workers’ Compensation claims process is complex—and one mistake can delay your benefits.  In other cases, your benefit check might arrive—and be much less than you actually deserve. 

At Team Law, we put the full weight of our experience and resources to work for you.  Our lawyers know what it takes to win fair compensation.  We are ready to go to work in your case today.  To schedule your free case review with an experienced New Jersey Workers’ Compensation lawyer, call us today.

Common Causes of Lost Arms, Leg, Hands and Fingers in the Workplace

Loss of arms, leg, hands or fingers can happen in a variety of work settings.  Construction workers, auto mechanics and machine workers are particularly at risk for losing a body part at work.  Loss of arms, leg, hands or fingers can happen in accidents involving:

• Power tools
• Construction machinery
• Forklifts, cranes and other types of construction vehicles
• Automotive equipment
• Explosions
• Falling objects
• Sharp objects in the workplace, which can pose a construction, and other risk for restaurant workers
• Severe burns

Sometimes, the injury is a clean cut.  In others, you might lose your arm, leg, hand or finger after the doctors and surgeons have attempted to treat the underlying injury.  Even an infected workplace laceration or puncture wound can eventually result in a lost limb.

Recovering from the loss of a limb—even “only” the loss of a finger—can require months, if not years, of physical therapy, rehabilitation, and treatment for the emotional impact of the injury..  You may have to learn how to function in your daily life in an entirely new way if you lost a hand, leg, arm or finger. 

When the bills are piling up, you don’t have time to deal with delays or confusion over your Workers’ Compensation benefits.  You need financial help now.  The lawyers at Team Law are ready to go to work immediately to fight for every dollar you deserve.

Your Right to Workers’ Compensation Benefits After Loss of an Arm, Hand or Finger

Workers’ Compensation benefits in New Jersey fall into three general categories:

• Payment of medical expenses
• Temporary  wage replacement of 70% of your pay if the doctor keeps you out of work for at least 8 days
• Permanent partial or total disability benefits after treatment has concluded for the amputated body part
• An “amputation bonus” in certain situations, which is added to the permanent partial or total disability award

In cases involving loss of limbs or body parts, the New Jersey Department of Labor provides an award based on a schedule of loss.  These awards are called “scheduled awards”. 

Scheduled awards are based upon the degree of bodily function that you have lost and the area of the body that was impacted.  The exact dollar amount of the award (and timeframe for availability) changes from year to year.  A new law passed in 2020 increases the number of weeks that you remain eligible for these benefits.

In general, for 2020, you might be entitled to the following benefits if you lost an arm, leg, hand or finger at work:

• Loss of a thumb: 80 weeks’ compensation
• Loss of the index finger: 60 weeks’ compensation
• Loss of the entire hand (100% lost function): 300 weeks’ compensation
• Loss of the arm: 330 weeks’ compensation
• Loss of the leg: 315 weeks of compensation 

Further, New Jersey Workers’ Compensation law provides for an “amputation benefit in certain situations, over and above the normal scheduled award.

Your weekly benefits, however, are subject to various caps and limits:

• First, your overall weekly benefit—which is based on your average weekly wages before the accident—is capped at 70% of your actual pay.
• Second, your 70% of pay amount is capped based on the New Jersey statutory maximum for Workers’ Compensation benefits ($945 per week in 2020—the figure will be different in later years).
• Third, your benefit can be impacted by the percentage of “loss of use” that you have lost.

At Team Law, our lawyers know that these rules are complicated. To discuss your specific loss of limb case in more detail with our attorneys, schedule a free case review today.

Call Today to Discuss Your NJ Loss of Limb Workers’ Compensation Claim with Our Experienced Work Injury Lawyers

Loss of an arm, leg, hand or finger can be life-altering.  When your injury happened on the job, you have the legal right to fair compensation. 

If you have questions about the process, think your benefit check might be wrong or want to explore options for recovering additional compensation, contact our experienced NJ Workers’ Compensation lawyers today.  It costs you nothing to get our opinion, so call us today to schedule your free case review with an experienced Workers’ Compensation lawyer.

Frequently Asked Questions About Workers’ Compensation for Lost Limbs