Accidents can happen at any New Jersey workplace, but construction sites can be particularly fraught with danger. Although construction workers take numerous precautions to be safe, accidents still happen. One such accident occurred when a young construction worker was seriously injured after he fell down a three-story elevator shaft in an apartment building under construction.
According to news reports, the man was taken to a nearby hospital with head injuries and internal bleeding. His condition was listed as critical. The construction project was shut down while the Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigates the job site.
What is covered under New Jersey workers’ compensation law?
In New Jersey, if a worker has an accident on the job and is injured, workers’ compensation should help. Workers’ compensation benefits cover: reasonable medical treatment; lost wages during recovery; permanent disability benefits, if that becomes necessary; and death benefits for their family, if the worker passes away as a result of the job-related accident. If the injured worker is working for an employer that is not insured, the worker can apply to the Division’s Uninsured Employers Fund for medical and temporary benefits.
New Jersey workers’ compensation laws are designed to help the injured worker to recover from their injury so that they can return to work. However, if the worker does not receive what they have a right to, a lawyer who specializes in workers’ compensation in New Jersey may be able to help the worker obtain the benefits to which they are entitled. A lawyer can help at many stages of the process, from advising workers on their initial claims to representing them at hearings and appeals.