"Emergency Contact Person" rule in effect - avoid fine
The NJ Legislature passed six bills which we reported
on last year. One such bill requires each carrier or
self-insured employer to identify a "contact person"
to respond to issues concerning medical and temporary
disability benefits in cases where a formal claim
petition has not yet been filed. This is the
so-called "pre-petition" contact. A form with
instructions for competing it is available here.
S-1916 now requires that “emergent” requests for medical treatment be heard within 10 days of the request being filed with the court. What classifies as an ‘emergent’ motion for medical and temporary benefits? One where a doctor states that a worker is in need of emergent medical care and that “delay in treatment will result in irreparable harm and damage.” The respondent will have five days to file an answer to such a motion and the matter will be listed for hearing “within five calendar days of the filing of an answer.” A penalty of $2,500 will be assessed for each employer or insurance carrier who fails to designate a ‘contact person’ for such motions.
