People who lose their loved ones after a workplace accident have more than just sudden grief to attend to. On top of losing the income of the deceased, there are often hospital bills and funeral costs.

New Jersey workers’ compensation is a tool that allows grieving families to support themselves to a certain degree in the wake of a wrongful death on a job site.

Costs of a hospital stay

If emergency services transport a critically injured worker to a hospital, there are plenty of life-saving procedures doctors may attempt. While it is difficult to estimate exactly how much emergency surgery costs from one unique case to the other, it is a commonly high expense.

Costs of a funeral

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the national median cost of a funeral, with a burial and vault is $9,420. This includes transportation and preparation of the body alongside ceremony costs and basic service fees. Some costs like embalming may be optional, though many funeral homes require embalming for an open casket viewing.

Workers’ compensation death benefits

New Jersey statutes lay out several death benefits for the loved ones of a deceased worker:

• 70% of a worker’s weekly wage
• Certain provisions for medical and hospital services
• Funeral costs up to $3,500

Answers for grieving families

These unexpected and catastrophic outcomes often leave families dazed and directionless in all the emotional turmoil. When navigating the complex financial aspects of a wrongful death, it is important to lean on knowledgeable resources and reliable information to work through it.

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