There are generally three types of benefits available to a worker injured on the job. These benefits are:

• Medical Care and Treatment;
  
• Lost Wages;
  
• Permanent Injury Benefits.

Medical Care and Treatment

An employer is required to pay for reasonable medical care and treatment for the type of injury suffered by a worker injured on the job. There are, however, limitations on this benefit that could include requiring a worker to be treated by a doctor who is authorized or approved by the employer.

In New Jersey, an employer must provide its employees with reasonable medical care if injured while working. The employer has the right to choose the doctor, hospital or therapist that provides treatment. Employees who choose to use other doctors or medical providers may not receive payment under the worker’s compensation law.

Lost Wages

Reimbursement for wages that were lost due to the work-related injury is another type of benefit available to employees.

In New Jersey, employees generally receive 70% of their average weekly wages up to a maximum amount for the time they were unable to work. This maximum amount rate changes each year. Lost wage benefits are not available until an injured employee has been out of work for more than seven days. Additionally, an employee must obtain and submit a doctor’s written authorization to the employer to qualify for this type of benefit.

Permanent Injury Benefits

Permanent injury benefits consist of compensation for injuries that will affect a worker's life forever. Permanent injury benefits are calculated based on the type of injury and the extent of severity. The awards for each type of work-related injuries are categorized into a chart. This chart is used to determine the amount of the permanent injury benefit, taking into account the amount of wages a person earned at the time of injury.

Worker's compensation law does not make benefits available for pain and suffering. For example, if two people earning the same amount of money both lose a thumb in work-related accidents, there is no difference in the amount of money available to each regardless if one suffers much more pain than the other.

A person must be out of work for a minimum of seven days before being able to collect permanent injury benefits in New Jersey. The amount of benefit to which a person is entitled is a percentage of the weekly wages for a set number of weeks up to a maximum for the specific type of injury. For example, in New Jersey, the loss of a thumb in a work-related accident entitles a person to compensation for seventy-five weeks.