How Long Does a Workers’ Compensation Claim Take to Settle in New Jersey?

New Jersey law requires that employers in most organizations carry workers’ compensation insurance so that employees injured on the job are promptly reimbursed for their medical expenses, lost wages and related costs. However, workers’ comp claims vary in size and complexity. How long it takes to resolve a claim depends on the specific details of each case.

In the best-case scenario, your workers’ compensation claim can be resolved in as little as a month. More complicated cases, especially when an employee requires long-term medical care, can take considerably longer to resolve. If a claim is contested by the insurer, an investigation may take months to complete. In addition, insurance carriers handle hundreds of claims at a time, which can slow the turnaround time for each case.

Sometimes, a longer resolution period can be beneficial to you. This delay can allow you and your doctor to better assess the injury and your current and future medical needs.

You may wish to avoid settling a claim until you reach maximum medical improvement (MMI). This is the point at which your doctor considers your condition stable and unlikely to improve further. Some people opt to wait until they reach MMI in order to make sure they will not require additional treatment or procedures before accepting a settlement.

For example, you break your leg at work and require surgery. In one scenario, you settle your claim a month after surgery and while still undergoing rehab and physical therapy. Two months later, your doctor tells you that your leg will require a second surgery. Due to that settlement, you’re responsible for paying for that second surgery without workers’ compensation. In the second scenario, you wait to settle until you reach MMI. This option takes months longer, but the result is having any needed additional surgery covered by workers’ compensation.

Your employer may offer some benefits while you are waiting to receive your workers’ compensation claim. Your company’s human resources department should provide you with that information.

While time is of the essence after you’ve been injured at work and file a claim, you’ll want to obtain the maximum possible settlement, especially when an injury may require continuing medical treatment or impact future earnings. An attorney experienced in workers’ compensation can help you resolve your claim in timely manner and receive the compensation you’re entitled to.

For more than 25 years, Kevin T. Kutyla, Esq. in Succasunna has provided passionate legal representation for injured workers in Sussex and Morris counties and throughout New Jersey. Call {PHONE} or contact me online to schedule an appointment.