New Jersey Golf Course Worker Pinned Beneath Fallen Tree

Readers of our New Jersey personal injury blog are aware of the many types of accidents for which victims may seek compensation, from drunk driving accidents to incidents of medical malpractice. In general, if one person or party’s negligence caused injury to another, that negligent party may be held liable for damages. Sometimes, however, an accident occurs that was not necessarily anyone else’s fault – what does this mean for the injury victim? If the accident occurred while the victim was at work, workers’ compensation may be an option.

To take one example of an unfortunate workplace injury, a golf course employee in Parsippany was recently cutting down a large ash tree. The tree suddenly split and fell over on top of the worker, pinning one of his legs underneath it. Emergency personnel had to use airbags and other equipment to elevate the tree enough to free the trapped employee. He was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Recovery from a serious leg injury like this – as well as a back injury or many others – will obviously requires significant time spent resting and staying off of one’s feet. Workers’ compensation can prove invaluable during this time and can prevent lost wages and medical bills from becoming a burden to an injured employee or any family members that employee supports. And, fortunately, with workers’ compensation, it does not matter whether an employer was negligent or not, or who was at fault for the accident. Workers’ compensation benefits act like a kind of insurance; however, an employee who receives these benefits may not then sue the employer for the same injuries.

While this system acts to protect New Jersey workers injured in accidents on the job and support them and their families, the fact is that not all employers will see to it that their workers receive the full benefits to which they are entitled. Claims may be reduced or denied outright, and victims will have to go through their employers’ preferred medical providers for any treatment they do receive. Injured workers may therefore wish to consider contacting a legal professional for help with a workers’ compensation case in order to ensure their rights are protected.

Source: Daily Record, “Falling tree hurts Parsippany course employee,” Feb. 21, 2013