New Jersey workers' compensation lawyer
Denied claims, cut-off treatment, unpaid temporary disability, and permanency awards — for warehouse, construction, healthcare, port and municipal workers.
Workers' compensation is supposed to be automatic. In practice, carriers deny claims, stop paying temporary disability with no explanation, send you to a doctor who clears you before you are ready, and quietly close the file. Most of what we do is putting that back on track.
What you are entitled to in New Jersey
- Authorized medical treatment, paid in full — no co-pays, no deductible.
- Temporary disability — 70% of your average weekly wage, subject to the annual maximum, while a doctor keeps you out of work.
- Permanent partial or total disability when treatment ends and something did not fully recover.
- Dependency benefits if a worker dies from a work injury or occupational disease.
Report it, in writing, now
Tell your supervisor the day it happens and follow up in writing — a text message counts. The two facts that sink comp claims are a late report and an initial medical record that does not mention work. When you see the doctor, say plainly that you were hurt at work and how.
Injuries and conditions we handle
- Back, neck and shoulder injuries from lifting and repetitive work
- Knee and ankle injuries from falls and ladders
- Construction site injuries — falls from height, struck-by, crush
- Warehouse and distribution-center injuries, including forklift accidents
- Repetitive stress — carpal tunnel, rotator cuff, tendonitis
- Occupational hearing loss and exposure illnesses
- Injuries in a company vehicle, which often carry a third-party case too
Comp claim and injury case at the same time
If someone other than your employer caused the injury — a driver, a subcontractor, an equipment manufacturer, a property owner — you may have both. Workers' compensation pays regardless of fault but not for pain and suffering; the third-party case does. Running the two together, in the right order, is where the money is usually won or lost.
Fees in workers' compensation
Fees in New Jersey comp cases are set and approved by the judge of compensation, and are paid out of the award — not up front by you. The first consultation is free.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer for a workers' comp claim?
Not always. If the employer accepted the claim, is paying your bills and your temporary disability, and you are healing, you may be fine. Call us the moment any of those three things stops — that is when claims go wrong.
Can I be fired for filing a workers' comp claim?
No. New Jersey law prohibits retaliation for filing a claim or testifying in one. If it happens, keep the paperwork and call us.
Can I use my own doctor?
Generally the employer's insurer picks the authorized treating doctor. You can see your own doctor, but the carrier may refuse to pay. If treatment is being denied or delayed, we file a motion for medical and temporary benefits.
What is a permanency award?
When treatment ends, you may be entitled to compensation for what did not come back — the permanent partial disability. It is calculated from a schedule based on the body part and percentage of loss, and it is separate from your medical bills and lost wages.
Does workers' comp pay for pain and suffering?
No. Workers' compensation covers medical treatment, a portion of lost wages, and permanency. Pain and suffering is only available in a third-party case against someone other than your employer.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years from the date of the accident or from the last payment of compensation, whichever is later. Occupational illness claims run from when you knew, or should have known, the condition was work-related.
Tell us what happened. We'll tell you what we would do.
A real conversation, not a call center. If we are not the right firm for your case, we will say so.
Or email info@starkmanfirm.com. Contacting the firm does not create an attorney–client relationship, and information sent before we agree to represent you is not confidential.