NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR MURPHY SIGNS NEW WORKERS COMPENSATION LAW AFFECTING HAND AND FOOT INJURIES
Submitted by New Jersey Workers Compensation Lawyer, Jeffrey Hark.
Signed October 30, 2020
Changes were made this year as to New Jersey’s Workers’ Compensation recovery for hand, foot and fingers injuries. Governor Phil Murphy recently signed legislation amending L 2019, c. 387 to clarify which cases the law would apply to.
As far as the recent amendment is concerned, the changes made to law will affect those cases that were pending or filed after January 21, 2020. The cases that were settled or decided prior to January 21, 2020 are not affected by the law.
The changes to law under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12 allow an injured worker to receive 2.6 weeks of each percentage of compensation until 25%. This was previously 2.45 weeks. At or above 25%, each percentage gets compensated 3 weeks.
Similarly, foot injuries now receive 2.5 weeks per percentage until 25%. This was previously 2.3 weeks. At or above 25%, each percentage gets compensated 2.85 weeks.
It is also important to note that this new change in the law does not apply to reopener claims.
There were other minor changes made in the law, including raising the weeks for finger injuries and raising death benefits from $3,500 to $5,000 for deaths for deaths caused by anything other than the accident or occupational disease during the period of payments of permanent injury.
If you or someone you know has been injured on the job, you need to make sure you contact a workers’ compensation attorney with experience today. These attorneys can answer all of your questions regarding temporary benefits, medical bill payments, permanent injury, and the nuances of workers’ compensation law. Do not hesitate to contact Hark & Hark today to discuss your personal injury.
For workers’ compensation and personal injury matters, you pay nothing upfront, and our fee is paid as a percentage of your recovery. At Hark & Hark, we represent clients for any case in any county in New Jersey including Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Mercer, Ocean, and Salem counties.
