New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Attorney

Helping injured workers across New Jersey pursue the workers’ compensation benefits they are owed.

If you were injured on the job, a New Jersey workers’ compensation lawyer can help you secure the medical care and wage replacement the law provides. For more than two decades, Rispoli & Borneo P.C. has represented injured workers across the state. Workers’ compensation is meant to be straightforward, yet insurers do not always pay what an injured worker is owed. We handle the claim so you can focus on getting better. Contact our office to schedule a free consultation about your work injury.

Workers’ Compensation Lawyer New Jersey

Workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. An injured worker can receive benefits no matter who caused the accident, and in exchange, most workers cannot sue their employer over the injury. The benefits generally cover medical treatment and a portion of lost wages during recovery. With limited exceptions, every New Jersey employer is required to carry coverage for its employees. When someone outside the workplace caused the harm, a separate third-party claim may also be available. A workers’ compensation attorney makes sure the workers’ compensation claim is filed correctly and that the benefits paid actually match the injury. Unlike a personal injury lawsuit, the system does not pay for pain and suffering. It is built to deliver medical care and wage replacement without a drawn-out fight over fault, which is the trade-off injured workers accept in return for guaranteed coverage.

Types of Workers’ Compensation Cases We Handle in New Jersey

Almost any injury that happens because of work can support a claim. Some injuries occur in a single moment. Others build slowly over years on the job. The cause and severity of an injury shape the benefits available and the proof a claim requires. We handle workers’ compensation claims throughout New Jersey for injuries that include the following.

• Construction accidents. Falls, scaffold collapses, and equipment failures make construction one of the most dangerous fields in which to work. We pursue full benefits and, where a party outside the employer is responsible, a separate claim. Many of these workers face long recoveries and lasting limitations.
• Repetitive stress injuries. Years of lifting, typing, or operating tools can cause carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and joint damage. These claims often require medical proof linking the condition to the work, since insurers tend to blame age or activities away from the job.
• Back and spine injuries. Lifting and falls cause herniated discs and chronic pain that can keep a worker out for months. Surgery is sometimes the only option, and recovery can stretch well past a year.
• Slip and fall injuries. Wet floors, ladders, and uneven surfaces produce some of the most common injuries in nearly every industry. A fall that looks minor at first can turn into a lasting orthopedic problem.
• Machinery and equipment injuries. Crushed hands, deep lacerations, and amputations happen when guards fail or training falls short. We document the full extent of the harm with the medical evidence.
• Occupational illnesses. Long-term contact with chemicals, dust, or loud noise can cause disease that develops gradually and is easy for insurers to dispute. Proving when the illness began is often the central issue.
• Warehouse and shipping injuries. Heavy lifting, forklifts, and demanding quotas lead to serious harm in distribution and fulfillment work. Repetition and speed make these injuries especially common.
• Toxic exposure. Hazardous substances on the job can cause burns, respiratory conditions, and long-term illness that surfaces well after the exposure. Linking the condition to the workplace is often the hardest part of the claim.

Why Choose Rispoli & Borneo P.C. as my Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in New Jersey?

Decades Representing New Jersey’s Injured Workers

Attorney Michael Borneo has handled work injury and workers’ compensation claims in New Jersey for more than two decades. He joined Rispoli & Borneo P.C. in 1999 and became managing partner in 2001. We have spent that time representing injured workers across the state, from workplace injury and on-the-job injury claims to serious construction injury cases. Mr. Borneo earned his law degree, with honors, from George Washington University Law in 1991, and completed his undergraduate degree at Villanova University. That history covers the full range of work injuries, from short-term strains to claims involving permanent, life-altering disability.

Benefits and Settlements for Injured Workers

Over the years, our firm has recovered millions of dollars in benefits and settlements for injured workers across New Jersey. We know how insurers evaluate these claims and where they try to limit what they pay. The first consultation is free, and we will tell you honestly whether you need representation at all. When an injury leads to lasting impairment, we pursue the permanent disability benefits the law allows. Our personal injury lawyer in New Jersey also watches for situations where a worker is entitled to more than one form of recovery, such as a claim against a negligent contractor or a product maker.

Understanding Workers’ Compensation Cases

Benefits and Compensation for Workers’ Compensation Cases

Workers’ compensation pays defined benefits rather than the broader damages available in a personal injury lawsuit. The categories are set by law, and the amount depends on the injury and the worker’s earnings. The benefits an injured worker may receive include:

• Medical treatment for the work injury, including surgery, therapy, and prescriptions
• Temporary disability payments that replace part of lost wages during recovery
• Permanent partial disability benefits when an injury causes lasting but not total impairment
• Permanent total disability benefits when a worker cannot return to any employment
• Death benefits for the dependents of a worker killed on the job

Authorized medical care tied to the injury is covered in full, with no deductible for the worker. The employer or its insurer usually selects the authorized treating doctor, which is one reason many workers want their own counsel reviewing the medical record. Payments for temporary disability begin after a short waiting period, and a worker left with lasting limitations may receive permanent disability benefits once treatment is complete.

Important Aspects of a Workers’ Compensation Case

A few factors carry extra weight in a workers’ compensation case. Each deserves attention from the very start.

• Prompt notice to the employer and prompt medical care
• A clear medical link between the injury and the job
• The treating physician’s findings on disability and work restrictions
• Whether a party other than the employer shares responsibility
• The response when an insurer reduces or cuts off payments

When an insurer denies benefits, an injured worker has the right to challenge that decision before a judge of compensation. Pre-existing conditions and gaps in treatment are two of the most common reasons insurers give for paying less, and both can be answered with the right records.

Workers’ Compensation Case Timeline

Most workers’ compensation claims follow a familiar sequence, though the pace depends on the injury and on whether the insurer disputes anything. Two deadlines matter most. A worker generally must report the injury to the employer within 90 days, and a formal claim petition must be filed within two years of the injury or the last payment of benefits, under N.J.S.A. 34:15-51.

• Reporting the injury to the employer
• Medical treatment with an authorized provider
• Temporary disability payments during the recovery period
• Evaluation for permanent disability once treatment ends
• A formal claim petition or informal hearing if benefits are disputed

Missing either deadline can bar a claim entirely. Reporting early also makes the injury easier to prove, because the records are created while the events are still fresh.

What to Bring to Your Workers’ Compensation Consultation

Bringing a few documents to the first meeting helps us evaluate your claim quickly. Useful items include:

• The date and details of the injury and how you reported it
• The name of any authorized treating physician
• Medical records, work restrictions, and bills
• Pay records showing your earnings before the injury
• Any letters from your employer or its insurer

We provide the initial consultation at no cost. During that meeting, we will explain which benefits you may be owed, where your claim stands, and what to expect next. There is no obligation to retain our firm afterward.

New Jersey Legal Resources for Workers’ Compensation Cases

Injured workers in New Jersey can learn more about their rights through several public resources. These sources are useful for background, though they are not a substitute for advice about your specific claim. The following are good places to start.

• The Division of Workers’ Compensation oversees claims and benefits across the state.
• The Division also describes the benefits available to injured workers.
• The Workers’ Compensation law sets the two-year deadline to file a claim petition.
• The Department of Labor also explains broader worker rights in New Jersey.

Reach Out to Rispoli & Borneo P.C. to Schedule a Consultation

If a workplace injury has disrupted your life, our attorneys can help you pursue the benefits New Jersey law provides. There is no charge for the first consultation, and we will review your situation and explain the options available to you. We work to respond quickly so your claim stays on track. Contact us to schedule a time to talk.