New Jersey Workers’ Compensation: The Seven-Day Waiting Period of Temporary Disability Benefits

If you were injured due to a workplace injury, one type of New Jersey workers’ compensation benefits that you may be entitled to is temporary disability benefits. One of the eligibility requirements for this type of benefit is that you have to be disabled for at least 7 days.

There are various ways you can meet the seven-day waiting period in order to qualify for temporary disability benefits. Your New Jersey workers’ compensation lawyer can help you work out the details.

How to Count the Seven-Day Waiting Period

Under the New Jersey workers’ compensation statutes, the seven-day waiting period starts the day you are unable to continue at work because of your workplace injuries. This day can be the day of the actual accident or later. In fact, according to court rulings, the waiting period does not need to immediately follow the accident, nor does it need to be consecutive days.

If you were injured during the course of employment, you may recover compensation for intermittent periods of recurrent intervals of temporary disability. For example, if you were hospitalized for corrective surgery after returning to work and after your temporary disability payments had stopped, you will still be entitled to receive additional benefits for the time you were hospitalized and out of work while recovering from your surgery.

However, if your temporary disability does not extend beyond the seven-day waiting period, you will not be entitled to temporary disability benefits under New Jersey’s workers compensation program.

Contact an Experienced New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

If you or a loved one was injured while at work or during the course employment, you may be entitled to workers compensation benefits. For more information about the seven-day waiting period or any other workers’ compensation concerns you may have, call the Law Offices of Dan T. Matrafajlo at (908) 248-4404 to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our experienced and knowledgeable New Jersey workman’s comp attorneys.