Any New Jersey worker can suffer an on-the-job injury. In most of these cases, when the injuries are serious enough to require medical care, the worker can get workers’ compensation benefits to cover the costs associated with that care. In some cases, a workers’ compensation lawyer is necessary to help injured employees seek the benefits they deserve.

Workers’ compensation lawyers also help workers with the following types of cases:

Repetitive strain injury claims: Workers might have a repetitive strain injury such as carpal tunnel syndrome from using a computer too much. Other jobs that involve manual labor and repetitive tasks like painting, sanding, making food and more could all result in a repetitive stress injury.

Total disability claims: Sometimes a worker contracts an illness or suffers an injury on the job that is so severe that he or she will never be able to work again. In these cases, the worker may be able to receive total disability benefits to cover medical costs and time spent unable to work.

Third-party claims: Workers cannot generally sue their employers when they get injured on the job. They can only pursue medical and other benefits through the workers’ compensation system. Unless the employer committed a grave error or wrongdoing — the employer will be protected from litigation relating to the workers’ injuries. That said, a third-party — like a contractor who was also working at the job site — might be liable for additional personal injury damages in some cases.

Just because a worker is entitled to benefits does not mean that the insurance company will grant the benefits that he or she deserves. This is where a workers’ compensation lawyer can help. An attorney can review your claim for potential weaknesses and advocate on your behalf in court.