New Jersey Hospital and Nursing Home Administrative and Support Staff Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

Work injuries among administration and support staff at hospitals and other locations dealing with injured patients are common. They can be the result of heavy lifting while performing office work, helping other staff members with patients, slip and falls, or performing repetitive tasks. 

Existing work conditions for administration and hospital support staff can result in workers facing an increased risk of work-related injuries. If you are an administration or support staff member working in a hospital or other nursing home facilities and are injured at work, you may file a workers’ compensation claim seeking compensation for those injuries. 

At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, we are intimately familiar with all the things that can go wrong in a healthcare workplace – the unexpected slip and fall, lifting something the wrong way, working with equipment that malfunctions, etc. Healthcare workers, administration, and support staff at hospitals and other facilities are at risk daily of being hurt while at work. 

Exploring Safety Concerns for Hospital and Nursing Home Staff in New Jersey

There are over 18 million healthcare workers in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Almost 80 percent are female. The CDC reports that cases of non-fatal occupational injury and illness are higher among workers in the healthcare field than among workers in any other industry sector.

The healthcare field encompasses a variety of different jobs, ranging from home healthcare aid to registered nurses to administrative and support staff. Every worker faces risks that increase the chances of an on-the-job injury. 

Some of the causes of injury in the healthcare field include:

• Handling Patients – Support staff may assist in manual lifting as patients are transferred to different positions or are repositioned.
• Slips, Trips, and Falls – Liquids or objects on the floor and loose tiles can cause a nasty fall.
• Herniated Discs – Transferring or lifting patients out of their bed or wheelchair can injure your back, including herniating a disc(s).
• Broken Bones – can occur due to a variety of reasons (e.g., slip and falls, etc.), but are also associated with workplace violence.
• Head Injuries – healthcare workers may sustain a traumatic brain injury while on-the-job, which can occur often from slips, trips, or falls.
• Sprains and Strains – Sprains and strains are the most frequently reported injury, affecting the shoulders, neck, and back.
• Repetitive Stress & Overexertion – Healthcare workers are more than seven times as likely to develop musculoskeletal disorders compared with other workers. This applies to administrative and support staff who perform various jobs throughout hospitals.

What To Do If You’re Injured Working as a New Jersey Administrative Staff Employee

If you, or a loved one, work in the healthcare industry as an administrative support or staff support person and sustain an injury on-the-job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. The healthcare field has one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses that increase every year. In 2020, there was a 40 percent increase in injuries and illnesses totaling 806,200 cases.

Workers’ compensation benefits pay for all medical expenses and other costs arising from an injury sustained at work. If you miss work due to your injury, partial lost wages are paid. The injured worker does not need to show negligence by the employer or anyone else to recover workers’ compensation benefits. Note: an injured worker cannot sue their employer for being injured at work. 

However, there is another avenue open – filing a personal injury lawsuit if another individual was liable for the injury you sustained. This is referred to as a third-party personal injury claim. An example would be if you had a slip and fall accident due to a slippery floor, and find out it was due to a third-party cleaning vendor’s negligence for not placing caution signage out after waxing the floor. At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, our attorneys will discuss your injury claim in great detail, including what your legal rights are, and assist you with gathering all the necessary details and paperwork to file a workers’ compensation claim.

Steps to Take If Injured While Working as a New Jersey Hospital Administrative or Support Staff Member

1. Immediately report any accident to your supervisor. Keep track of the time, place, injuries, and name of the person you reported your accident to. Once reported, the employer must provide notice of the injury to initiate a workers’ compensation claim.

2. Go for medical care immediately. This applies even if you work in healthcare or think you can deal with the injury yourself. Delaying medical care or shunning it may mean not being able to connect the injury to your work duties, thus reducing the chances of being able to file a workers’ compensation claim. 

3. Keep records and receipts. Starting a paper trail relating to your accident, the injury, and what medical care was received is crucial to building a strong case. Show up for all medical appointments and finish the course of all ordered therapy. Keep detailed records and receipts of everything.

4. Do not miss or stop any medical visits required to facilitate your recovery. Not completing the therapy before the end of a recovery period can mean losing your workers’ compensation benefits. Stopping treatment before therapy ends can indicate you have recovered and can go back to work. That may not be the case, and not getting a medical release can affect any workers’ compensation claim you may have, and may also end benefits.

Depending on the circumstances of the case, you may be able to file for workers’ compensation and/or file a third-party personal injury case. At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, our years of experience in this area ensure you quality representation and a beneficial outcome.

Types of Compensation You May Obtain if Filing a Workers’ Compensation Claim In New Jersey

Workers’ compensation can often be complex, and you may have questions about the claims process. Additionally, there may be instances where your employer questioned whether your injury happened at work, or whether your injury may not be related to work.

In New Jersey, workers’ compensation benefits include:

• Medical expenses – for all medically necessary, reasonable treatment and rehabilitation.
• Temporary disability benefits (TDB) – receive up to 70 percent of average weekly wages for days missed from work.
• Permanent partial disability benefits (PPD) – If you suffered a workplace injury that affected a certain part of your body, you can obtain Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) benefits. The amount of PPD benefits depends on which body part was injured and the extent of the injury.
• Permanent total disability benefits (PTD) – If you cannot return to work because of a work-related injury or ongoing disability, you can seek Permanent Total Disability (PTD) benefits. PTD benefits are 70 percent of your average weekly wage and are subject to a maximum of 75 percent of the Statewide Average Weekly Wage. Initially, you can obtain PTD benefits for up to 450 weeks; however, if you cannot work at the end of the 450 weeks, you may continue to receive benefits.

Contact our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm. We can handle your case, advise you of your legal rights, explain the entire process, discuss any relevant insurance issues with you, and provide legal representation.

Call Our Hospital and Nursing Home Administrative and Support Staff Attorneys

At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, we have counseled and represented many plaintiffs involved in on-the-job injuries while working as an Administrative or Support staff employee at a hospital or nursing home, and have significant experience obtaining maximum financial compensation. Our firm can help you recover the workers’ compensation benefits you need to get your life back on track after your work injury. Our workers’ compensation lawyers will help you navigate the complexities of the process, so you can focus on your recovery. We have recovered over $100 million for our clients and can effectively negotiate on your behalf with even the largest insurance companies. We have successfully served thousands of clients throughout New Jersey. To learn more about how we can help you pursue a workers’ compensation claim, give us a call today at (973) 920-7900 to request a FREE and confidential consultation. You can also connect with us through our online form. There is never a fee unless we win. We have two conveniently located offices in Denville and Morristown, New Jersey.