New Jersey DHL Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Three entrepreneurs, Adrian Dalsey, Larry Hillblom and Robert Lynn from San Francisco, California founded DHL in 1969. When they first started their business, they were transporting customs documents by air, drastically reducing the time to process freight shipments. Since then, DHL has expanded worldwide, and since 2013, DHL has led the marketplace in international express deliveries and logistics. DHL is now known as Deutsche Post DHL Group and is headquartered in Belgium.

Workers’ compensation at DHL

Workers’ compensation insurance provides benefits for those employees that get hurt on the job. Workers may receive benefits if involved in a workplace accident and/or they have been exposed to working conditions that cause illness, such as exposure to toxic chemicals or repetitive injury syndrome.

Workers’ compensation helps injured workers recover physically and financially. Benefits help cover lost wages and medical expenses incurred for treatment(s). If an accident leaves a worker permanently disabled, they may be eligible to obtain additional compensation.

If you, or someone you love, has been involved in a DHL workplace accident or injured while on the job, then you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. However, there are specific guidelines for when an injury is covered under workers’ compensation.

New Jersey law lists the following requirement for qualifying for workers’ compensation benefits: the injury happened while the injured party was working, and the injury arose out of and in the course of their employment.

Workplace hazards at DHL

DHL has approximately 550,000 employees worldwide. It is considered to be one of the world’s top employers. Its only major competitors are UPS and FedEx. DHL employees provide a variety of services, including:

• National parcel delivery
• International parcel delivery
• E-commerce shipping/fulfillment solutions
• International express
• Road, air and ocean transport
• Industrial supply-chain management
• Specialized solutions for automotive/retail industries
• Specialized solutions for energy
• Specialized solutions for life sciences and healthcare
• Specialized solutions for technology

Regardless of where workers are stationed, like at the DHL distribution center working transport logistics or making deliveries, they can face different types of injuries and accidents at work. Workers could be injured while operating cranes to lift heavy objects while processing heavy packages, or become injured due to repetitive motions.

Some of the most common workplace injuries include muscle strains, hearing loss, cuts and lacerations. The most common types of workplace accidents include crashes or collisions, being hit by falling objects, slips and falls, and walking into objects.

New Jersey workers’ compensation laws differ from the laws of other states. However, these laws do have some things in common. They all offer benefits to injured workers to help them get through and recover compensation from a work-related injury accident. The accident does not have to be serious. Even minor accident injuries may qualify for benefits.

Filing for workers’ compensation benefits can be complicated. It is imperative for those injured at work to report the injury promptly and file a claim. Missing the deadline to file a claim can mean the claim is automatically denied.

Injured workers need to adhere to several deadlines for filing a claim. This, and the process of collecting supporting documentation required to file a claim, can be confusing and overwhelming. This is why contacting an experienced New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney from the Todd J. Leonard law firm is an excellent choice for injured workers. We help you navigate the process, get the right paperwork filed, and be your voice to ensure you obtain fair and equitable compensation under the law.

Common workplace injuries

After a workplace accident, injured DHL workers should adhere to the following steps to ensure you receive the workers’ compensation benefits:

• Immediately notify DHL of your accident so they can open up a workers’ compensation claim for you and send you to their authorized doctor, as workers’ compensation will pay all the authorized doctor bills. It is mandatory to report the accident, and can be done either in writing or verbally. When in doubt, ask your supervisor what you need to do.
• Seek medical treatment as soon as possible from an approved doctor.
• Follow the doctor’s treatment instructions. Determine how long you are going to be off work. Ask for a treatment plan.
• Document your accident and injuries with as much detail as possible when you fill out the report. Be sure to write down the names and contact information for any witnesses.

Back Injuries

There are several types of back injuries:

• Spondylolisthesis: slipping of vertebra at the base of the spine
• The lower back is the most common site for injuries and may include: fractured vertebrae, strains / sprains, bulging or herniated discs. The pain and discomfort can originate from sore, pulled or torn tendons, ligaments, and muscles. The effects may be felt instantly or not manifest until later.

Pinched nerve injuries at DHL

Pinched nerve injuries may be the result of persistent heavy lifting (packer), standing or sitting in a restricted position for a number of hours (delivery driver) or a slip and fall, trip and fall accident.

Make sure to file a claim as soon as possible and provide all relevant documentation and information to the company’s approved doctor. However, there are many instances when employers deny workers’ compensation claims, even if you meet all the requirements. This is why you would need an experienced New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney to protect your rights.

Concussions

Concussions are also referred to as mild traumatic brain injuries, and are caused by blows to the head. This may happen if a package falls off a storage rack, a packer or handler falls from a ladder, a driver is involved in an accident on the road, a worker slips and falls on the job while delivering, or while working in the various DHL warehouse locations. Workers’ compensation benefits can help you recover by paying medical expenses when you see a doctor from the approved list and by paying you 70% of your average weekly wage while you are unable to work.

Traumatic brain injuries are ranked from minor to severe, and each type has different symptoms that affect the worker. A DHL worker who sustained a traumatic brain injury can be severely impaired. Some of the symptoms of traumatic brain injury may include:

• Loss of memory
• Loss of consciousness
• Confusion
• Difficulty communicating
• Dizziness
• Blurred vision
• Difficulty balancing
• Headaches

Every state has unique laws when dealing with workers’ compensation claims. Most require a workers’ compensation to be filed within a designated period of time. Prior to presenting your DHL workers’ compensation claim, it is important to reach out and talk to an experienced New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney and find out what your legal rights are as an injured worker.

The Todd J. Leonard Law Firm has over 35 years of experience handling all types of serious personal injury accidents, including workers’ compensation claims. Todd J. Leonard is Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Certified Civil Trial Attorney, and has successfully handled all types of serious accidents, representing thousands of clients throughout New Jersey. Our attorneys will fight for your rights, which includes getting the medical treatment you need, any wages you are legally owed, and compensation for your injuries. Additionally, our team of trial lawyers will be in contact with your employer’s insurance carrier to ensure you receive timely authorization for your medical treatment, and when you can return to work, if at all. Our personal injury lawyers provide compassionate yet relentless personal injury representation, offering both exceptional service and proven results. To learn more about how we can help you pursue a claim for compensation, give us a call today at (973) 920-7900 to request a free and confidential consultation. There is never a fee unless we win. We have offices conveniently located in Denville, Morristown, and Newark.