The country is struggling through an epidemic of opioid addiction, and that crisis is manifested throughout our society in many ways, including drug-related crimes. In an attempt to counter this scourge, the state of New Jersey has offered an alternative to criminal prosecution in the form of its Drug Court Program. Started in 2002, the program has been viewed as so successful that in July of 2012 former governor Chris Christie expanded the program. The Drug Court Program, which is…
With the election of a new governor in the state of New Jersey comes the promise of big changes in many different policy areas. Phil Murphy ran on a platform that included fully funding schools and pensions, raising the minimum wage, and legalizing recreational marijuana. This last promise was based on Murphy’s social justice philosophy, but in doing so may introduce a number of unexpected legal challenges that may end up leading to amended traffic laws in the state revolving…
Accidents and injuries can happen any time and, in any place, and that includes on the job. Where homeowners’ insurance policies, auto insurance and liability insurance provide compensation and coverage for those who are injured in their homes, on the road or on a business property, workers’ compensation insurance provides coverage for injuries that occur to employees in the workplace. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault form of insurance, which means that employees aren’t required to prove that negligence took place: they…
While it seems as if winter is holding on for dear life in our region, there’s no doubt that we’re seeing glimmers of spring. The sun is warmer, the birds are singing, the daffodils are blooming, and the roadways are starting to see more cyclists, runners and walkers. If you have been anxiously awaiting higher temperatures so you can move your workout from the gym to the great outdoors, don’t let your happiness override your vigilance. With more people outside…
Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income Benefits (SSI) are both federal programs created to provide for the needs of people with disabilities. They’re administered by the Social Security Administration. Each has its own specific purpose:
Social Security Disability Insurance – pays benefits to people who’ve paid enough Social Security taxes and who qualify as disabled. It provides for those who’ve been diagnosed with either a mental or physical impairment that’s expected to last at least 12 months or…
Have you ever sat at a bar and watched another patron throw back drink after drink and get more and more clearly intoxicated? Have you ever thought to yourself, “I sure hope that guy isn’t driving”? When you think that to yourself, you do so as a concerned citizen, but the bartender who is serving the drink has a legal responsibility to think the very same thing, and if they don’t act responsibly and stop serving alcohol to a person…
When people think of the type of work disability that may affect first responders, they tend to envision the most obvious physical injuries: gunshots for police officers; burns or smoke inhalation for firefighters; muscle strains and dangerous exposures for EMTs lifting patients or working with those who are extremely ill. But according to recent studies, one of the most insidious dangers faced by first responders is PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Though PTSD is usually associated with experiencing a…
Have you ever been mid-journey on a plane flight and gotten up to go to the bathroom, only to have the flight attendant ask you to return to your seat and buckle up due to turbulence? It may have been an inconvenience, but it was exactly what they should have done: failure to do so could have been called negligence if you ended up getting injured. Though injuries caused by turbulence are generally considered an “act of God” for which…
At some point in the process of filing a workers’ compensation claim, you are likely to come across a form indicating that you give the workers’ compensation insurance company the right to request information from your medical history. This may give you pause, either because you are concerned about your privacy in general or because there may be something in your medical records that you would prefer that your employer not know about. Unfortunately, with only a few exceptions, the…
When a person is injured on the job, they are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits may include the costs of medical treatment and compensation for lost wages during rehabilitation and prescription medications. With many of the injuries sustained in the workplace leading to chronic pain, this means that some of the prescriptions being covered by workers’ compensation are often opioids. Though opioids are an effective pain management tool, their use and overuse in the United States has reached…