Volunteer Worker Injury Attorneys in Totowa, NJ Help Clients in Passaic County, Hudson County, Essex County, Bergen County, and Throughout NJ Pursue Benefits and Compensation They May Be Entitled To
While traditional employees are understandably entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits if they are hurt on the job, the rights of people who are injured while volunteering for companies and organizations are less clear. You may be surprised to learn that, in certain circumstances, volunteers are entitled to workers’ comp in New Jersey. At Camili & Capo, PA, our New Jersey volunteer injury lawyers aggressively pursue NJ workers’ compensation for volunteers who are injured in the course of their duties.
Our firm understands that going through the legal system is often a complicated endeavor for people. But that does not mean that you should give up the rights you have under the law. If you were injured while working in a volunteer position, you may be eligible to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. Reach out to Camili & Capo, PA for a free initial claim review to speak to a volunteer work injury attorney in Passaic County, NJ about your legal options following your injury.
Eligibility of Volunteers for Workers’ Comp Benefits
Under New Jersey’s workers’ compensation system, workers who render services to an employer for some form of compensation are eligible for workers’ comp benefits. This usually excludes true volunteers, people who provide services for no compensation whatsoever. However, state law has expressly extended workers’ compensation coverage to certain classes of volunteer workers. These include:
Elected or appointed public officials
Members serving on boards of education
Volunteer firefighters, rescue workers, or paramedics
Reserve or auxiliary law enforcement officers
These volunteer workers can receive workers’ comp coverage if they are injured in the course and scope of their public duties.
In addition, employers may choose to extend workers’ compensation insurance coverage to their volunteers, in which case a volunteer who is injured while working for such an employer may obtain benefits.
What Benefits Are Available Under the NJ Workers’ Compensation System?
Volunteers who are eligible for workers’ compensation may receive certain benefits defined under the New Jersey workers’ compensation system, including:
Medical benefits, which pay for all reasonable and necessary medical treatment and rehabilitation of a work injury or occupational illness
Temporary disability benefits, which provide wage replacement when a worker cannot work in their pre-injury/illness role
Permanent partial disability benefits, which offer financial payments based on the type and degree of severity of a permanent impairment that does not render the worker incapable of returning to the workforce
Permanent total disability benefits, which continue wage replacement benefits for as long as a worker remains incapable of returning to employment
Death benefits, which provide financial payments to a deceased worker’s dependents, along with contributions toward funeral/burial costs
Because disability benefits are based on a worker’s average weekly wages, special rules exist for certain volunteer workers who are entitled to workers’ compensation by statute. Injured volunteer public workers who have no other gainful employment may be entitled to receive the statutory maximum disability benefits. A volunteer work injury attorney in Passaic County, NJ from Camili & Capo, PA can go over what benefits you may be entitled to by state law.
How Camili & Capo New Jersey Volunteer Injury Lawyers Can Help You Pursue NJ Workers’ Compensation For Volunteers
Recovering workers’ compensation when you were injured while volunteering for a company is no easy task. Most volunteers are not considered eligible under the workers’ compensation system. But if you might be entitled to recover workers’ comp benefits for injuries you suffered in a volunteer role, let New Jersey volunteer injury lawyers from Camili & Capo, PA help you by:
Reviewing the facts and circumstances of your volunteer role to determine if you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, including if you were injured in a volunteer public service role, or if you received some form of compensation that might qualify you as an employee
Recovering evidence needed to establish that your injuries or illnesses occurred in the course and scope of your work
Filing your claims with your employer to begin the process of pursuing benefits on your behalf
Aggressively pursuing your interests, including filing a formal claim petition and representing you in hearings before the state division of workers’ compensation
Facing A Legal Matter In New Jersey And Have Questions? We Can Help. Just Tell Us What Happened. Call (973) 834-8457 Or Fill Out Our Convenient Free Case Evaluation Form.
Contact a Volunteer Work Injury Attorney in Passaic County, NJ for a Free Case Evaluation to Discuss Your Legal Options
Do not wait another day to speak to New Jersey volunteer injury lawyers from our firm about NJ workers’ compensation for volunteers. You may have the option of securing workers’ comp benefits for injuries you sustained while volunteering. Contact Camili & Capo, PA today for a free, no-obligation consultation to learn more about how our firm can help you pursue your rights to workers’ compensation.
Frequently Asked Questions about NJ Workers’ Compensation for Volunteers
Can I obtain workers’ compensation if I was volunteering at an event or program organized by my employer?
Potentially yes. In New Jersey, courts have upheld awards of workers’ compensation benefits for workers who were volunteering at a charity or social event organized by their employer, particularly where the worker was volunteering in a role similar to the job duties they performed for their employer. If you were injured in a volunteer event for your employer, you should still reach out to a volunteer work injury attorney in Passaic County, NJ to see if you may be entitled to workers’ comp benefits.
If I am not covered by workers’ compensation for my volunteering, what options do I have for financial recovery for my injuries?
Even if you are deemed ineligible for workers’ compensation for injuries you suffered while working in a volunteer position, you may have the option of recovering compensation for your injuries and losses by pursuing a personal injury claim against the party or parties whose negligence or legal fault caused your injuries. For example, you may have a premises liability claim if you were injured by a dangerous condition in the workplace, or a product liability claim against a manufacturer if you were hurt by a defective product you were using.
