A Capehart Scatchard Blog

Recent Developments in New Jersey Workers’ Compensation

By on February 13, 2015 in NJ Workers' Comp, Uncategorized with 0 Comments

There have been a number of developments in the Division of Workers’ Compensation in 2015 of which practitioners should be aware:

Retirement of Director Peter J. Calderone,

After 13 years of service as Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation and 39 years of service to the State of New Jersey, Chief Judge and Director Peter J. Calderone announced this week that he will be retiring effective February 28, 2015.  Director Calderone raised the level of professionalism within the Division and modernized the New Jersey workers’ compensation practice, with e-filing of pleadings, court listings and communications from counsel to the courts.  He led the creation of an extensive case management system and developed a first class Division website providing a wide range of valuable information to practitioners and the public.   During his tenure, rules for discovery on urgent motions for medical and temporary disability benefits were established, and new administrative rules were adopted for medical reimbursement petitions, thousands of which are now handled in the Division.

The new Director of the Division of Workers’ Compensation will be the Honorable Russell Wojtenko, Jr., Supervising Judge of New Brunswick vicinage.  Judge Wojtenko resides in Mercer County and currently sits in New Brunswick.  He has earned a reputation in the bar as  hard working and fair to all parties.

Three New Workers’ Compensation Judges

The Governor has nominated three experienced practitioners as workers’ compensation judges: Michael J. Dillon, Esq., Thomas J. Ludlum, Esq. and John C. Gavejian, Esq., all from Bergen County.

2015 Rate Charts Are Available

For clients who are interested in receiving 2015 rate charts, please email the undersigned or Carol Wright at cwright@capehart.com.  The maximum rate for temporary disability benefits and total permanent disability benefits is $855 per week, up from $843 per week in 2014.  That amounts to approximately a 1.5% increase over last year.

The minimum rate is now $228 per week.  The current state average weekly wage on which the rates are based is $1,140.02 per week. In 2005 the maximum rate was $666 per week and the minimum rate was $168.  In 1995 the maximum rate was $469 and the minimum rate $125.  In the past 20 years the maximum and minimum rates have increased 82%.

Share

Tags:

About the Author

About the Author:

John H. Geaney, Esq. is a Shareholder and Co-Chair of Capehart Scatchard's Workers' Compensation Group. Mr. Geaney began an email newsletter entitled “Currents in Workers’ Compensation, ADA and FMLA” in 2001 in order to keep clients and readers informed on leading developments in these three areas of law. Since that time he has written over 500 newsletter updates.

Mr. Geaney is the author of Geaney’s New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Manual for Practitioners, Adjusters & Employers. The Manual is distributed by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education (NJICLE). He also authored an ADA and FMLA Manual also distributed by NJICLE. If you are interested in purchasing “Geaney’s New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Manual for Practitioners, Adjusters & Employers,” please contact NJICLE at 732-214-8500 or visit their website at www.njicle.com.

Mr. Geaney represents employers in the defense of workers’ compensation, ADA and FMLA matters. He is a Fellow of the College of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers of the American Bar Association. He is one of two firm representatives to the National Workers’ Compensation Defense Network.

A graduate of Holy Cross College summa cum laude, Mr. Geaney obtained his law degree from Boston College Law School.

Mr. Geaney was selected to the “New Jersey Super Lawyer” list (2005-2017, 2021 in the area of Workers’ Compensation). Only 5% of attorneys are selected to “Super Lawyers” through a peer nominated process based on independent research and peer evaluation. The Super Lawyers list is issued by Thomson Reuters. For a description of the “Super Lawyers” selection methodology, please visit https://www.superlawyers.com/about/selection_process.html

For the years 2022-2024 Mr. Geaney was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® list in the practice area of Workers’ Compensation Law - Employers. The attorneys on this list are selected based upon the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area. A complete description of The Best Lawyers in America® methodology can be viewed via their website at https://www.bestlawyers.com/methodology.

*No aspect of this advertisement has been submitted to or approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Capehart Scatchard is a full service law firm with offices in Mt. Laurel and Hamilton, New Jersey. The firm represents employers and businesses in a wide variety of areas, including workers’ compensation, civil litigation, labor, environmental, business, estates and governmental affairs.

.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Top