After suffering a work injury, you may rely on workers’ compensation to provide you with monetary assistance. However, you may not always get the compensation you think you will because workers’ compensation may not offer coverage in every area.
According to the New Jersey Division of Workers’ Compensation, the program will pay out for medical expenses and lost wages. In addition, if you are the survivor of an employee who died as a result of a work accident, you may claim other benefits, including funeral expenses.
Expenses after a death
If you wish to collect compensation for funeral costs, the law only requires payment up to $3,500. This may not cover the full cost you incur. However, if you are a spouse or dependent child, you may be able to receive additional payments of benefits under the program of 70% of the workers’ salary.
Annual threshold
The workers’ compensation system does set a maximum payment amount. This may change from time to time. The maximum limits are for weekly benefit amounts and the total annual amount. Nobody can receive more than the maximum set limits.
Statute of limitations
Even medical benefits may not payout if you do not report your injury in time. There is a statute of limitations on making a claim of two years from the date of your injury or when you become aware of the injury in the case of an illness or type of injury that occurs over time.
Status
Workers’ compensation will determine your status as temporary or permanent and partial or total. These refer to your disability due to the injury. Temporary means you will likely recover and permanent means you may not. Partial means you cannot fully return to your job and total means you cannot work at all. Your status will impact the benefits you can receive.