Workers’ Compensation: What Happens if I Am Late Reporting My New Jersey Injury?

When you are injured in the workplace, regardless of the state that you are in, you usually have a time limit placed upon you. If you do not report your injury to your employer or supervisor within the limit designated by your state, your Workers’ Compensation claim is almost always denied. In the state of New Jersey, employees are required to inform their supervisors within 14 days of an accident. There are certain exceptions and other specifications regard Workers’ Comp in NJ State Law.

Exceptions to the New Jersey Reporting Time Limit

Although the general rule of thumb is that you must report an incident and your injury within 14 days, there are some exceptions to this. Regardless of the exception, if you are later than 90 days in reporting or your employer hasn’t otherwise learned about the injury by then, New Jersey state law states you cannot file a Workers’ Compensation claim.
The follow are some exceptions to the 14-day reporting rule:

• Your employer was or should have been aware of the injury or illness (such as witnessing the accident)
• You have a good reason for not notifying your employer on time (for example there was delayed symptoms or you were incapacitated)
• Your employer didn’t post legally required notices about workers’ comp rules

Don’t Forget to Consider the Statute of Limitations

When you are injured or wronged in some way by another, there is almost always a time limit legally in place that you must file a lawsuit by. This is also known as a statute of limitations. Usually, more severe crimes get MUCH longer statute of limitations placed upon them. For personal injury and workers’ compensation cases, this time is a bit more limited. In New Jersey, workers’ compensation has a time limit of two years with some exceptions. It is important to consider both reporting and lawsuit filing time limits with your workplace injury or illness.

Contact a New Brunswick Workers’ Compensation Lawyer to Discuss Your New Jersey Workplace Injury Case

A workplace accident can be devastating, particularly if it prevents you from returning to work for an extended period of time. Although New Jersey Workers’ Compensation laws are supposed to provide you with reimbursement for medical expenses and replacement pay for missed time at work, it is not always easy to get the Workers’ Comp benefits you deserve. That is why you should speak with a knowledgeable Workers’ Compensation lawyer about your situation and get guidance throughout the claims process. The experienced Workers’ Compensation attorneys at Lombardi & Lombardi represent clients in Brick, Lakewood, Piscataway, Jackson, and all across New Jersey. Call 732-564-7165 or email us today to schedule a free consultation about your work injury case. Our main office is located at 1862 Oak Tree Road, Edison, NJ 08820, and we also have offices in Brick, Freehold, and Point Pleasant Beach.
The articles on this blog are for informative purposes only and are no substitute for legal advice or an attorney-client relationship. If you are seeking legal advice, please contact our law firm directly.