Sustaining a serious injury while you are at your workplace in New Jersey leads to lost time on the job, lost wages and often a permanent loss of health. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, workers’ compensation programs are designed to cover medical expenses, and if you miss work, a portion of your average earnings should also be covered. However, these benefits alone may not do much to alleviate the true cost of your injury.
If your regular earnings do not allow your family to rise above the poverty line, you are particularly susceptible to financial problems due to the fact that these benefits only provide you with a portion of your regular wage. Even if your spouse is the primary earner in your family, the reduction may have drastic consequences to your budget. If you work more than one job, and you are unable to maintain the second one due to the injury, there is no compensation to make up for that loss. The stress from this and other aspects of your situation is likely to create further issues for you, including emotional strain on your relationships and the potential for lowered self-confidence from your inability to work.
A dishonest employer may try to get out of a workers’ compensation claim by saying that you are an independent contractor rather than an employee. If this happens to you, you may be facing the entire financial burden for the injury without assistance. This information is for educational purposes only. It should not be interpreted as legal advice.