When New Jersey employees are injured on the job, it is important for them to understand how workers’ compensation claims are commonly handled by insurance carriers and employers from the start. Both employers and their insurance companies often work to reduce the amounts they will be forced to pay.
When workers are injured, their employer may have a nurse interview them on-site. The nurse’s role will be to determine whether the nurse believes seeing a doctor is necessary. People should be careful in this interview because what they say may come back to haunt them later. It is also a good idea to see a doctor for an examination even if the nurse tells them otherwise.
If the injury is severe and likely to last an extended amount of time, the worker should expect the insurance company to actively investigate both them and their claim. Insurance companies may check social media accounts to try to find information about physical activities the person reports. They may also conduct surveillance by tailing the person or installing video cameras facing the worker’s home. Sometimes, insurance companies dispute the employee’s need for expensive medications as well.
Workers need to understand that both insurance companies and employers do whatever they can to reduce or avoid costs associated with workers’ compensation claims. In some cases, they may attempt to deny a claim or to dispute it. Injured workers may benefit by getting help from a workers’ compensation attorney after their accidents. An attorney may be able to help them to claim all of the benefits to which they should be entitled and can provide representation in a future appeals hearing if the claim is denied.
