How Long Does Workers’ Comp Last in New Jersey?

If you experience a workplace injury or illness, you can collect wage replacement and medical care benefits for a limited time through New Jersey workers’ compensation. Most workers receive payments temporarily until they can return to work, but benefits can last for months or years if necessary.

How long does workers’ comp last in New Jersey?

In New Jersey, you can collect workers’ comp for up to 400 weeks. However, your benefits will end sooner if you return to your full job duties or your workers’ comp doctor determines you’ve reached maximum medical improvement (MMI). MMI is the point where you’ve recovered as much as possible, even if that isn’t your full pre-injury condition. From there you could move to permanent benefits (more on that in the next section). At any time you could also agree to a settlement with the insurer, which would end your benefits.

Situations when your workers’ comp benefits could end:

• You recover and return to your regular job.

• You reach maximum medical improvement.

• You agree to settle with the insurance company.

If your workers’ comp benefits ever get delayed or end earlier than expected, contact a New Jersey workers’ comp lawyer. They can explain what benefits you’re entitled to and then use their knowledge of the law to get you those benefits.

How long do permanent benefits last?

When you first start receiving workers’ comp benefits, they’re considered temporary. In New Jersey, those benefits can become permanent if you reach MMI but haven’t returned to your pre-injury condition.

Unfortunately, permanent doesn’t mean you’ll collect benefits indefinitely, though most permanent benefits last for months or years. Exactly how long you’ll receive payments depends on your specific injury, the body part you injured, and your disability rating.

A disability rating is a number from 1 to 100 that your workers’ comp doctor assigns based on how much of the pre-injury functionality you’ve lost in your injured body part. For example, if you injure your hand and can only use it at 40% of the capacity you had before injury, you will get a 40% rating.

A 100% disability rating is uncommon and is reserved for situations when someone will never be able to work again.

In all cases, you’re most likely to receive a settlement offer from the workers’ comp insurance company around the time you become eligible for permanent benefits.

Workers’ comp payment rates in New Jersey

New Jersey workers’ compensation pays regular checks worth 70% of your pre-tax average weekly wage (AWW) in the year before your work injury. There are also upper and lower limits to your check size. The minimum workers’ comp payment is $293 per week in 2024, while the maximum payment is $1,099 per week.

See how much workers’ comp pays in your area.

Who gets a workers’ comp settlement

Most people who experience a workplace injury or illness won’t receive a settlement. However, payouts are common for workers with longer or more complicated recoveries. You’re most likely to receive a settlement offer if you’re approaching MMI but still can’t return to your regular job. In this case, insurance can avoid months or years more of checks and medical benefits by sending you a lump-sum settlement payment.

Read more about when workers’ comp offers a settlement.

How much will my settlement be?

The average workers’ comp settlement is more than $40,000, but what you get depends on your lost income and the cost of your medical care. You could get much more or less than the average based on your exact injury and how your recovery progresses.

We strongly recommend talking to a professional if you're negotiating a settlement. A workers’ comp lawyer is trained in your local laws and will be able to help you fight for a fair payout.

Keep in mind that the insurance company doesn’t have your best interests at heart. It’s a company that’s trying to pay you as little as possible to maximize its profits. The insurer will also have lawyers to help it fight for the smallest possible settlement. Having your own lawyer levels the playing field so you can focus on getting better and moving on with your life.

Learn more about what a workers’ comp lawyer does.

Get answers to your workers’ comp questions

Every year, thousands of New Jersey workers are injured at work. Yet, the workers’ comp process can be technical and complicated. Knowing the average payment amounts and how long can help you set your expectations, but you’ll probably have questions unique to your experience.

Atticus helps injured workers get the full benefits they’re entitled to. That includes workers’ comp payments to cover lost wages and medical treatment that’s paid for by the insurance company.

Talking to Atticus is also free. If you decide to work with one of our worker’s comp lawyers, you also get a free consultation and never owe anything until after you win benefits or get a settlement — otherwise you don’t owe the lawyer a penny.

Fill out our free workers’ comp quiz to get started and our team will reach out to learn more about your situation and answer your questions.

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Related resources:

5 Common Questions About Workers’ Comp Lawyers

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How Much a Workers’ Comp Lawyer Costs in Every State

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