Cherry Hill Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Last updated on March 20, 2026

While anyone can apply for workers’ compensation on their own, many find it helpful to work with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney who knows how to navigate the application process and appeal denied claims or approvals that do not reflect the true severity of the injury. Our experienced work injury lawyers at Jacobs, Schwalbe & Petruzzelli, P.C., are here to provide guidance and fight for your rights to secure the compensation you deserve.

What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ compensation in New Jersey is a state-mandated insurance program designed to provide financial and medical benefits to employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. This no-fault system ensures that employees receive necessary support without the need to prove employer negligence, thereby facilitating a smoother recovery and return to work.

The program covers various aspects, including medical treatment, wage replacement and rehabilitation services, helping injured workers maintain financial stability while recovering. Most businesses must carry workers’ compensation insurance, ensuring that all eligible employees are protected under this system. The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development oversees the administration of workers’ compensation claims, ensuring compliance with state laws and regulations.

What To Know About Eligibility

In New Jersey, most employees are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if they suffer an injury or illness related to their job. This includes full-time, part-time and seasonal workers, with few exceptions, such as independent contractors. Eligibility begins from the first day of employment, and workers are covered regardless of fault. However, certain criteria must be met, such as the injury occurring while working on the clock and the employee reporting the injury within the stipulated time frame.

Diverse Clients in Need of Workers’ Compensation

Workplace injuries can affect anyone, regardless of their profession or industry. Our workers’ compensation lawyers represent a wide range of clients who have been injured on the job, including:

• Manufacturing and warehouse workers: They perform physically demanding tasks that can lead to injuries such as strains, sprains, fractures, wear-and-tear, and equipment-related accidents;
• Food industry workers: Employees in restaurants, food processing plants, and other food-related businesses may be injured in accidents involving kitchen equipment, slippery floors or other hazards;
• Health care workers: Medical professionals, including nurses, doctors, and support staff, are at risk of injuries from lifting patients, exposure to infectious diseases, and other workplace hazards;
• Construction workers: Builders, laborers, and contractors who work on construction sites, often at heights or with heavy equipment, are at risk of falls, equipment accidents, and other injuries;
• City and state workers: Government employees, including those in sanitation and transportation, may be injured while performing their duties;
• Public safety workers: Police officers, firefighters, and other first responders who put their lives on the line every day and may be injured in the line of duty;
• Union workers: Members of labor unions who work in various industries may be entitled to additional benefits under their collective bargaining agreements;
• Office workers: Those performing tasks that involve repetitive strain, computer use, or other hazards can suffer injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome or other musculoskeletal disorders;
• Teachers: When interacting with students and using various materials, they may be injured in accidents involving classroom equipment or other hazards;
• Maintenance workers: They may be injured when performing repairs, maintenance, and other tasks in various settings, including buildings, factories, and public spaces; and
• Truck drivers: Those who operate commercial vehicles, often for long hours and over long distances, may be injured on the road, or while loading or unloading cargo.

By understanding the unique challenges and risks associated with each profession, our attorneys at Jacobs, Schwalbe & Petruzzelli, P.C., can navigate the workers’ compensation system and advocate for your rights.

Understanding The Types Of Workplace Injuries

Workplace injuries usually fall into one of two categories:

1. Acute injury: This is a sudden, traumatic event that occurs at work, such as an automobile accident, an accident involving tools or equipment, an explosion or a fall injury. Construction accidents typically fall under this category. Lifting injuries affecting health care workers and industrial workers are also sometimes sudden events. An injured worker is usually eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, including medical treatment and temporary disability benefits. In most cases, a worker is also entitled to a monetary award for permanent functional loss, affecting their working ability and/or their normal daily activities.
2. Chronic or cumulative injury/illness: This category involves an occupational disease occurring over time, including repetitive stress injuries. Workers whose work activities have taken place inside moldy buildings may become disabled as a result of “sick building syndrome.” Exposure to asbestos dust could cause asbestosis or other pulmonary diseases after years of exposure. Exposure to carcinogens at work could cause serious or fatal illnesses as well.

Both examples are valid workers’ compensation cases – those triggered by traumatic, single-event injuries and those involving occupational stress and strain, or diseases. The workers’ compensation lawyers at Jacobs, Schwalbe & Petruzzelli, P.C., help victims of both types of cases throughout the state of New Jersey and often take on extremely challenging cases.

What Are Common Injuries from Workplace Accidents?

While some workplace injuries are minor, others can leave workers with lasting medical issues and financial struggles. Some of the injuries employees face include:

• Back and spine injuries: Heavy lifting or fall downs can cause herniated discs, chronic pain, or mobility limitations. These injuries require long recovery times and ongoing treatment;
• Head injuries: Concussions or traumatic brain injuries may result from falling objects or accidents with machinery, leaving workers with headaches, memory issues, and reduced focus;
• Broken bones and fractures: A fall from a ladder or equipment malfunction can easily lead to fractures, sometimes requiring surgery and months away from work;
• Repetitive stress injuries: Tasks like typing, assembly line work, or tool use can cause carpal tunnel syndrome or tendonitis, limiting an employee’s ability to perform their job; and
• Burns or chemical exposure: Workers in factories, labs, or food service can suffer serious burns or respiratory problems from hazardous substances.

These injuries may require medical care, therapy, and time away from work, which makes workers’ compensation benefits essential. Working with an attorney helps ensure claims are filed properly and injured workers pursue the support they need for recovery.

Common Reasons For Claim Denials

The reasons why workers’ compensation claims are denied include:

• You missed the deadline to tell your employer;
• The insurance company says the injury did not happen at work or was not caused by your job;
• There is not enough medical proof or you saw the wrong doctor;
• The insurer blames a preexisting condition instead of the workplace accident; or
• Your story has small inconsistencies, so they call it “fraud” and reject the claim.

A denial is not final, but it requires fast action. Our Cherry Hill attorneys will fight the insurance carrier. We collect stronger medical records, get expert opinions, and locate witnesses to combat all of the insurance company’s tricks.

Our experienced attorneys also file appeals and represent you in court if needed. We have turned hundreds of denied claims into compensable claims entitling clients to medical coverage and financial compensation. One call to our attorneys can change a denial into the compensation you need to heal.

Benefits Offered By Workers’ Comp In New Jersey

The benefits come in different forms:

• Medical benefits: Coverage for all necessary and reasonable medical treatment related to the injury.
• Temporary total disability: Wage replacement benefits, typically two-thirds of the average weekly wage, for workers unable to work for more than seven days.
• Permanent partial disability: Compensation for workers who suffer permanent loss of function but can still work.
• Permanent total disability: Benefits for workers unable to return to any gainful employment due to their injuries.
• Death benefits: Financial support for dependents of workers who die as a result of a work-related injury or illness.

The Claims Process

The first step in the workers’ compensation claims process is to notify your employer of the injury as soon as possible. Depending on the type of injury, you may only have between 48 hours and 14 days to give your employer proper notice. You also need to seek medical attention right away. You will need to go to the hospital or a provider authorized by your employer’s insurance.

Your employer or their insurer will then have 21 days to file a report of injury with the New Jersey Division of Workers’ Compensation. The insurance company will likely contact you, your employer and your medical provider to determine whether you have a valid claim. If the insurer finds that you have a valid claim, then you should start receiving medical and temporary disability benefits. If your injury is severe and is preventing you from returning to work, you may meet the eligibility requirements for permanent partial disability and permanent total disability benefits.

Important Workers’ Comp Rules In New Jersey

The laws and regulations for workers’ compensation are complex, but here are some key elements that everyone should be aware of:

• Mandatory coverage: New Jersey law requires employers, regardless of size, to have workers’ compensation insurance or have their own self-insurance that fills the role of workers’ compensation.
• No-fault system: As stated above, employees receive benefits regardless of who was at fault for the injury, ensuring quick access to necessary care and support.
• Time limits: Injuries should be reported to the employer within 14 days, and claims must be filed within two years from the date of injury or last payment of compensation.
• Dispute resolution: The Division of Workers’ Compensation handles disputes between employees and employers or insurers, offering mediation, and formal hearings.

What Factors Affect the Value of Your New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Claim?

Not every claim is worth the same amount. Several factors dictate how much money you are eligible to receive. These include:

• The severity of your permanent disability;
• The cost of your medical treatment, inclusive of past and future (surgery, therapy, medication, etc.); and
• How much money you were earning and are losing due to missing work;

Our team reviews every factor right away. This forces the insurance company to pay the true value instead of the lowest offer. Whether you are a nurse, truck driver, police officer, teacher, or construction worker, we help ensure nothing is left on the table.

What You Should Know About Social Media Monitoring During Your Claim

Insurance companies review your social media accounts to find reasons to deny or reduce your workers’ compensation benefits. A photo of you standing at a family event might be presented as proof that your injury is not serious. A check-in at a store could suggest you are ready to return to work. Comments about feeling better may be twisted into claims of full recovery.

Your social media activity can damage your claim in these ways:

• Photos showing any physical activity: Insurance adjusters use images to question your reported limitations, regardless of the actual circumstances.
• Location check-ins: Visiting public places does not mean you can work, but insurers will argue otherwise.
• Posts about your condition: Any positive statement can be misrepresented as evidence that you have recovered.

Our workers’ compensation attorneys understand how insurers build these arguments and how to counter them effectively.

How Long Can You Receive Workers’ Compensation?

Benefits depend on the severity of your injury and ability to return to work.

Temporary total disability pays 70% of your average weekly wage while you cannot work. Benefits continue until you reach maximum medical improvement or a doctor clears you for work. 

Permanent partial disability applies when your injury causes lasting impairment, even if you can still work. Compensation depends on the affected body part and the degree of functional loss. New Jersey law assigns specific dollar values to different injuries.

Permanent total disability provides lifetime benefits if your injury prevents you from ever working again. To obtain these benefits, you must prove you are unable to perform any kind of work activity.

Medical benefits continue as long as you need treatment for your work injury. There is no time limit on coverage for doctor visits, therapy, medications, or procedures.

Death benefits support dependents when a workplace injury proves fatal. Surviving spouses receive benefits for life or until remarriage. Dependent children can also receive support under New Jersey law.

Why Should You Work with a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Cherry Hill?

Filing a workers’ compensation claim may seem straightforward, but many employees face delays, denied claims, or pressure from insurance companies. This is where having an experienced law firm can make all the difference.

In Cherry Hill, a skilled workers’ compensation lawyer can protect your rights and guide you through the process. Working with a dedicated law firm provides:

• Help in gathering medical evidence and documentation;
• Representation if your claim is denied or challenged;
• Guidance on whether a settlement offer is fair; and
• Peace of mind knowing someone is fighting for your best interests.

When accidents leave you unsure of what comes next, it is helpful to seek help from a knowledgeable Cherry Hill workers’ compensation attorney to help ensure you are not left to face the system alone. With legal assistance, injured workers can focus on healing while their attorney pursues the benefits they are entitled to.

Injured On The Job? Discuss Your Claim With Board-Certified Attorneys Today

Workers’ compensation claims are never simple. The workers’ compensation system is essentially an insurance program that comes with all the complexities of insurance. If you have been injured at work, your focus should be on getting better, and the last thing you want to have to do is deal with the complexities of the system.

The workers’ compensation lawyers of Jacobs, Schwalbe & Petruzzelli, P.C., have decades of experience working within this system. We can advise, guide and represent you on all aspects of these claims. Call us today at 856-528-7991 or use our contact form to schedule your appointment.