Wholesale & Grocery Store NJ Workers Compensation Attorney

Most eligible workers’ compensation injuries involve an accident at work, typically resulting in a one-time injury. However, the severity of an injury can vary. A licensed medical professional can determine an official diagnosis through extensive medical visits and treatments.

According to the New Jersey Department of Labor & Workforce Development’s Retail Trade Industry Sector Winter 2021-2022 report, food & beverage stores, general merchandise stores, and motor vehicle & parts dealers accounted for 53.3% of all New Jersey jobs. With over 50% of our NJ workforce involved in retail, how often do grocery store injuries occur?

Well, it depends on the circumstances. Did the employer place proper signage notifying its staff and visitors of potential chemical hazards? If not, then they could be held accountable. According to OSHA, employers and retail distributors must have copies of safety data sheets posted in the workplace and readily accessible to all employees.

The employer could also be held accountable if an employee slipped, fell, and injured their head, back, or neck due to a known spillage or flooring repairment. Regardless of the circumstances, as a NJ frontline worker, you are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits for your injuries.

What Are Considered On-The-Job Injuries

Suppose you are a cashier, supervisor, stocker, order-filler, laborer and freight worker, customer service representative, driver, or a fast-food counter worker. In that case, you are often expected to work morning, mid-day, or night shifts.

As a wholesale or grocery store employee, you are nonstop and constantly on your feet all day. However, regardless of the time, a work injury can occur at any moment.

Common injuries that can happen on your wholesale and grocery store work shift include:

• Slip and Fall Injuries
• Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) / Head Injury
• Back & Neck Injuries
• Knee and Leg Injuries
• Spinal Cord and Back injuries
• Chemical Burns / Inhalation Injuries
• Falling Object Injuries
• Arms, Hands, or Feet Injuries
• Repetitive Motion Injuries
• Electrical or Burn Injuries

If you were recently injured at a grocery store during your shift, it’s crucial alert your Supervisor and immediately seek medical attention, so a workers’ compensation claim can be opened up on your behalf. Specific forms and deadlines need to be met, so discuss your case with an experienced wholesale and grocery store New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Attorney at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm.

At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, we go over everything you do, the type of work you performed, the work conditions, how long you have been doing your job, and how that has affected you physically. These are critical factors in filing a workers’ compensation claim. We’ve handled hundreds of lawsuits and know we can ensure you get what you deserve.

The Top Three Ways a NJ Worker Can Sustain Serious Injuries at Work

According to the National Safety Council’s Injury Facts, overexertion, repetitive motions, slips, trips, and falls are the top three leading work-related injuries.

Overexertion – Includes repeatedly lifting, pushing, pulling, turning, holding, throwing, or carrying items such as boxes filled with produce.

Repetitive Motion Injuries – Due to repeated grasping, bending or twisting while picking up heavy equipment.

Slip and Falls – This can happen when an employee tries to avoid slipping in a wet spot or on spilled produce. They can also occur when another worker runs into them with a loaded product dolly.

Although no one suspects to get injured on their work shift, it’s essential to remember to seek medical attention as soon as possible. After notifying your HR specialist, manager, or business owner about your injuries, contact our team to start the next steps. You may also have a third-party liability case, and therefore it’s vital to have an experienced New Jersey Workers’ Comp lawyer ensuring you meet all applicable deadlines.

Popular Grocery Retail Stores in New Jersey

Regardless of where you shop or where you work, injuries can occur and it’s important to understand your legal rights. If you sustained serious injuries while working or shopping at any of the following grocery stores, you should seek medical attention right away, and then contact the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm:

Grocery Stores in New Jersey include:

• Whole Foods
• Kings
• Stop and Shop
• Shoprite
• Acme
• Costco
• BJ’s
• Sam’s Club
• Aldi
• Target
• Walmart
• Weis Markets
• Wegmans

Is An Employer Legally Responsible For Providing Workers’ Compensation Benefits?

Yes. When workers are injured as part of their regular work duties, they have a right to file for workers’ compensation benefits. Additionally, it may be possible to hold another party responsible for your injuries by filing a third-party lawsuit.

In a third-party claim, it is often possible to hold several other parties liable for a worker’s injury and workers’ compensation. For instance, some situations may happen in a wholesale and grocery store workplace. A piece of defective machinery may have hurt an employee as they unloaded items from a transport vehicle. A possibility of bringing a third-party claim against the machine designer, maker, assembler, or seller could occur.

A worker could be hurt if the store is undergoing remodeling and various tradespeople are onsite. A construction worker could be in the same area as a store worker, and a scaffold falls, a ladder is tipped over, or a piece of equipment falls. If a sub-contractor is responsible for a worker’s injuries, the worker may be able to sue that person or the contracting company.

Grocery stores have loading and unloading ramps to bring the product into the store and sort and display it. The loads are often tall and heavy. Should a load not be appropriately balanced, this can result in severe injuries if it falls on someone. Your Todd J. Leonard Law Firm wholesale and grocery store workers’ compensation attorneys can look at the facts of your case. Each case is different.

What to Do After You Are Injured & How to Report Your Work Injury

If you are injured at work, you must give notice to your HR manager or supervisor. Next, you need to visit a hospital or other company authorized medical facility to receive immediate medical treatment. Finally, file your claim as early as you can. There are specific deadlines, and it’s best to partner with one of our attorneys to help you prepare your case.

It is essential to know that even though the law mandates workers’ compensation coverage in the event of an injury, it does not require the employer to accept your claim. This is one of the reasons you may need to speak to an experienced wholesale and grocery store New Jersey workers’ compensation attorney at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm.

For any written communication or documents you send or receive, always keep copies for yourself. Have a paper trail for your injury, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation documents.

Reasons Why a Workers Compensation Claim Was Denied and Next Steps

Your workers’ compensation claim may be denied due to either your employer or the workers’ comp insurance carrier, thinking your injury is not compensable. The insurance company or the employer may claim that your injury did not occur during work hours or within the scope of your job.

Insurance companies are notorious for wanting to limit or deny liability for a claim. They may restrict or stop your medical treatment before you have fully healed. This can happen when the opposing party requests that a workers’ compensation physician analyze your physical state to determine if you still need medical treatment.

If situations like this occur, it is often referred to as a functional capacity evaluation (FCE) or an independent medical evaluation (IME).

Types of New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Generally speaking, all New Jersey workers who file a workers’ compensation claim are entitled to receive benefits. Those benefits include:

Permanent Total Disability (PTD) – If an employee is permanently unable to return to any employment as a result of the work injury, they can receive workers’ compensation payments for the rest of their life or as long as they remain unable to work.

Medical Care – A person can seek medical attention from an employer-provided physician.

Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) – If a person’s injuries result in permanent disability but the person can return to work, they can receive benefits the amount of which is depending on the level of impairment.

Temporary Total Disability (TTD) – An injured worker can receive 70% of their average weekly wages over the past 26 weeks while they are unable to work according to the authorized workers’ compensation doctor.

Although there are several different options, it’s best to speak to an experienced wholesale and grocery store New Jersey workers’ compensation lawyer at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm. We will help review your records, draft legal paperwork, and file a case on your behalf.

Contact a Dedicated Workers’ Compensation Lawyer for Immediate Assistance Now!

If you were recently injured in a workplace accident, this is undoubtedly a difficult time for you and your family. The workers’ compensation lawyers at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm understand the challenges you face and want to help protect your rights. We aggressively represent every client we serve, ensuring they recover the benefits they need to move on with their lives after a serious accident while on the job.

Whether it be through a workers’ comp claim and/or a third-party personal injury case, our worker’s compensation and personal injury 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.