Payroll clerk receives workers’ compensation after office fall

Employees and employers are well aware of the importance of health and safety in the workplace. Although employers strive to avoid any workplace accidents and injuries, not all accidents can be avoided, which is why workers’ compensation is so crucial. Many employers provide training and have safety plans to prevent accidents, but sometimes workers are injured anyways. Not only does workers’ compensation provide the funds to cover medicals bills and lost wages that an employee might suffer due to a workplace injury, it also part of a system that ensures the worker has recovered and is able to return to work on a full or part-time basis.

Recently, a payroll clerk for the city of Paterson was injured at the workplace. The employee had tripped over a “loose object” in the work environment and suffered injuries to her ribs, wrist and shoulder. Due to these injuries, she had to seek medical attention and filled a workers’ compensation claim in order to cover the costs and lost wages that resulted from this incident. Although the “loose object” that she tripped over was not specified in the details that have been reported at this time, workers’ compensation was approved for her on-the-job injuries.

An employee who is injured in a work accident like this one could accumulate large medical bills. In addition, the injured might need to go through physical therapy and rehabilitation which can add to costs while the employee is still not able to work full time. An award from workers’ compensation suit could cover these costs and other costs incurred from a workplace accident.

Source: New Jersey Star-Ledger, “Paterson payroll clerk gets nearly $22K after tripping over ‘loose object’ at work” Dec 17, 2012