Getting Compensation for Injuries in a Slip and Fall at Work
Did you suffer an injury in a slip and fall at work? You can get compensation for your injuries from your employer if the slip and fall arose out of and occurred within the scope of your employment. A workers’ compensation attorney can help.
Causes of slips and falls at work
You do not have to prove fault on the part of your employer to receive workers’ compensation, but the slip and fall must relate to your work. What are the common causes of slips and falls at work?
- A construction worker can fall from scaffolding or a roof.
- An office worker can trip on a cord stretched across the floor.
- A warehouse worker can trip on an uneven surface or something in their path.
- A restaurant worker can slip on a liquid spilled on the floor.
- A truck driver can trip while entering or exiting their vehicle.
A worker’s fault in contributing to their slip and fall does not preclude or reduce the amount of compensation the worker can recover.
Injuries employees suffer in slips and falls
What types of injuries are common in a slip and fall at work?
- Broken bones: An employee can suffer a broken hip, leg, arm or wrist in a slip and fall. The worker can fall on a hip or leg, or they can try to brace a fall with their arm or wrist.
- Back injuries: An employee can injure their back twisting to avoid falling or from landing on their back. Serious back injuries can result from falls from high surfaces, like roofs.
- Head injuries: If the employee strikes an object or hits the ground or floor, they may suffer a head injury. The employee can suffer facial injuries or a traumatic brain injury, like a concussion.
What an employee should do after a slip and fall at work
If you suffer an injury in a slip and fall at work, report the work accident to your employer as soon as possible. Describe your injury and let the person in charge – your supervisor or plant manager – know how your injury relates to your job.
Your employer selects your doctor. Keep your doctor’s appointments and follow the doctor’s instructions. Your employer must pay your medical expenses, provide medical aids like crutches, and start temporary disability benefits if you are not able to work for more than seven days. Call a workers’ compensation lawyer to make sure your employer provides you these benefits.
Compensation for injuries at work
New Jersey law requires an employer to pay temporary disability benefits (70 percent of your average weekly wage up to 75 percent of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage) until you return to work or reach maximum medical recovery (your condition is as good as it is going to be). If you have a permanent disability, you can get permanent partial disability based on a percentage of disability to a scheduled member, such as an arm, or a non-scheduled member, such as the back. If you cannot return to gainful employment, you can receive permanent total disability benefits.
You cannot recover any compensation for your pain and suffering.
Settling your case
You can settle your workers’ compensation claim. You should have a workers’ compensation lawyer look at the settlement document before signing it. A lawyer can explain the details of the agreement. For example, the agreement may limit your right to future medical treatment for your injury.
Contact a lawyer
A workers’ compensation lawyer can make sure you get the compensation New Jersey workers’ compensation law allows. The lawyer will represent you at a hearing if the employer contests your claim. The lawyer can help with any issues that surface during your recovery, such as your dissatisfaction with a doctor’s recommendation.
If you suffer an injury in a slip and fall at work, talk to a workplace injury lawyer at Petrillo and Goldberg at 856.249.9295. Let our lawyers take care of the legal issues while you concentrate on a full recovery.
