James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him here.

However, if you take too long to report a claim, your employer or its insurance carrier will very likely deny your claim.   This means you’ll have an uphill battle to receive workers’ compensation benefits.   

An employer can require you to report an injury within a certain amount of time just like it can require you to arrive to work on time every day.    If you are consistently late, your employer will discipline or terminate you.   If an employer policy regarding accident reporting only applies internally, you are still protected by the workers’ compensation statute when it comes to your worker’s compensation benefits.    

Under New Jersey Law, you can receive workers’ compensation benefits as long as you report the injury within 90 days.   It is very important to understand this difference.  The workers’ compensation statute does NOT protect you from discipline for violating your employer’s policy.   

For instance, an employer can require all accidents to be reported the same day or within 24 hours.   These policies are permissible, and if you do not follow them you could be subject to reprimand or further discipline, including termination, from your employer.  Even though this is different than the workers’ compensation requirements under the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation statute, it is allowed because it doesn’t actually impact your right to workers’ compensation benefits.  

What if your employer requires that all accidents are reported within 24 hour?    If you injure yourself at work on a Friday and wait to report it because you want to see how your injury feels over the weekend, then your employer can discipline you for failing to report the injury within 24 hours.  You could receive a write up or possibly be terminated for failing to follow your employer’s policy.   

However, your employer cannot deny you workers’ compensation benefits if you report an accident within 90 days due to the worker’s compensation statute.   A specific injury is one that you can pinpoint the time and place of when you were injured.   This is different than a repetitive stress injury that occurs over a period of time from performing the same strenuous activities over and over at work.   This does NOT mean your employer or it’s workers’ compensation carrier won’t deny your claim.  

Employers enact their own internal reporting requirements for several reasons.   The quicker the accident is reported, the sooner they can investigate the claim.    Employers are looking for other causes to an injury, and the longer you take to report an injury, the more likely your employer will look to show that it is not work related.

As I’ve said before, if you’re hurt at work, report it when it happens.   You will not do yourself any favors by failing to report an on the job injury.   

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him here.

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him here.

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him here.

According to an article in the New Jersey Law Journal, “The OAE says the conduct violated Rules of Professional Conduct governing communications with represented parties, along with other strictures.”  The defense lawyers claim they were not familiar with the ins and outs of Facebook’s privacy settings, so were unaware their firm was accessing off limits information.   

The plaintiff in question upgraded his privacy settings to only allow Facebook “Friends” access to information on his Facebook page, so then the paralegal sent the plaintiff a “Friend” request.  Once the plaintiff accepted the request, the paralegal and her supervising attorneys had access to a treasure trove of potentially harmful information.

The plaintiff and his attorney didn’t become aware of the Facebook access until questions about travel, nightlife and other physical activities came up at a deposition.  The case involved a firefighter who was seriously injured at work, and the defense sought to discredit him with the use of information from his Facebook account, including a video of the plaintiff wrestling his brother from BEFORE the accident.  The information obtained by the defense in this case was barred by the Judge for technical reasons, not because it was obtained improperly.

The lesson here is that if you have a Facebook page, you need to make sure your privacy settings do not allow the public to view your information.  Do not accept “Friend” requests from someone you do not actually know.  Insurance companies, prospective employers and identity thieves are utilizing the internet more than ever to find personal information, don’t make their jobs easier.    

If you’re going to use social media, you must be careful about it for many reasons.  Every item you post, whether it’s a picture, article or personal observation, is a reflection on you.  Don’t put things on Facebook that you would not want a prospective employer or anyone else seeking to discredit you to see.   This also applies to your other Facebook “Friends”.  Don’t allow someone to ‘tag’ a photo that you’re in that puts you in a compromising position – if you see one, untag it and ask the person to refrain from doing this in the future.

You must be vigilant in protecting what information you put on websites such as Facebook, as this is now the first impression the outside world will have of you. 

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him here.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders (NIDCD), a department of the National Institutes on Health (NIH), states on its website: “when we are exposed to harmful noise—sounds that are too loud or loud sounds that last a long time—sensitive structures in our inner ear can be damaged, causing noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL).  These sensitive structures, called hair cells, are small sensory cells that convert sound energy into electrical signals that travel to the brain. Once damaged, our hair cells cannot grow back.”  Examples of conditions that can lead to an occupational hearing loss include industrial noises, sirens, and engine noise.   These types of conditions cover a broad spectrum of jobs and industries, from First Responders and Assembly line workers to Restaurant employees.  

As the information provided by the NIDCD indicates, hearing loss is permanent, so removal from the noise source will not improve the condition, but just makes sure it does not become worse due to ongoing noise exposure.   While many safety measures have been developed, such as changing the placement of a siren on vehicles so as to cause less exposure, much of the damage has already been done before the safety measures are implemented.

If you’ve developed hearing loss at work in New Jersey, you should consider filing a workers’ compensation claim as you may be entitled to benefits.   I’ll discuss the specific benefits available in a New Jersey claim in my next post.

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him here.

A recent article in the New York Times, Working or Playing Indoors, New Yorkers Face an Unabated Roar discussed loud noise exposure in various New York City workplaces, from restaurants and bars to gyms.  This means the traditional areas for exposure to high noise levels, such as factory workers, first responders exposed to siren noise, or heavy equipment operators are expanding to include a wide variety of work environments.  Loud noise exposure in restaurants is actually used to encourage customers to eat faster and leave in order to free up tables at a faster rate.  The article cites spin classes as excessively loud, in that the noise volume exceeds 100 decibels, a potentially dangerous level.   

The important thing to know is that exposure to excessive noise is happening in places you may not expect it and can have long lasting effects.   

The New Jersey Workers’ Compensation laws provide coverage for work related hearing loss.  To prove a hearing loss claim, it’s necessary to show documented hearing loss, usually through an audiogram and exposure to harmful noise levels.  There are two types of work related hearing loss: a loss that occurs from exposure to excessive noise over time; and traumatic hearing loss, caused by a specific event.  In New Jersey, hearing loss due to a long term exposure must occur in both ears to receive workers’ compensation benefits.  If you develop hearing loss due to a specific loud noise, such as a crash, gunshot, or explosion, the requirements are different and benefits are available.  I’ll discuss hearing loss and the benefits available in upcoming blogs.  

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him at: jcreegan@stark-stark.com.

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him at: jcreegan@stark-stark.com.

In New Jersey, workers’ compensation carriers are required to provide a wide range of long term benefits to injured workers. Insurance carriers are required to provide treatment that is “necessary to cure and relieve,” the only requirement is that the costs be reasonable. If you are unable to walk, you will need significant modifications to your home, such as a handicapped accessible bathroom, kitchen with modified countertops and appliances and doorways that can accommodate a wheelchair. In addition, you may require a ramp or elevator just to access your house. These types of improvements are costly, and insurance carriers don’t always voluntarily want to foot the bill.      

Carriers will resist expensive improvements to a home, such as an addition; however, the laws regarding these types of benefits favor the injured worker. In one case, I represented a man who was paralyzed from the waist down after a fall from a roof. The attorney for the insurance carrier declared to me, “We are not buying your client a house,” as he did not have a home of his own – now, after the insurance carrier had to pay the client’s rent every month four years, the carrier is much more willing to buy a house rather than make rent payments for life.   

Any recommendations needs to come from your treating physician initially and a long term care evaluation will also help to determine your current and future needs. This will often involve an evaluation of your home by a specialist to determine what changes are necessary in the short and long term.     

Our office has obtained these types of benefits for current and past clients and has the experience needed to represent workers’ who have suffered catastrophic injuries. In addition to out of work benefits, medical treatment and a permanent disability award, those who suffer significant injuries will need long term care and accommodations. The workers’ compensation attorneys at Stark & Stark have obtained benefits such as monthly rent and utility payments for a client who lost the use of his legs, home modifications for wheelchair bound clients and handicapped accessible vehicles. If you require permanent long term assistance as the result of a catastrophic injury at work, our attorneys have the experience necessary to obtain these benefits.

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him at: jcreegan@stark-stark.com.

Normally, out of work benefits are based on your average weekly wage. So if you are injured at work and earn $700, your temporary disability rate would normally be $490 per week. In 2012, if you are injured while in the performance of your volunteer duties, you will receive $810.00 per week.

You might think a municipality, county or state agency would protect its volunteers, unfortunately this is not always the case. The simple reason is Money. Public employers are increasingly attempting to cut costs, and weekly benefits are an easy target. Our firm has successfully represented clients in which the municipality claims the volunteer was not in the line of duty when injured and not entitled to the full rate. Municipal employers have also been known to just base the weekly rate on a volunteer’s earnings from his or her actual job. This often results in a significantly reduced weekly rate.   

If you’ve been injured while serving in a volunteer capacity, you need to know your rights. State statue calls for volunteers “doing public fire duty” and “doing public first aid or rescue duty” to receive the maximum benefits available under the law. Public employers need to cut costs wherever they can, and injured volunteers are often an easy target. The activities covered are not limited to injuries suffered responding to a fire, accident or emergency. Construction work on a firehouse, repair work on vehicles and apparatus, participation in search and rescue task force, exhibitions, fund raising and parades are some of the examples in which Volunteers are entitled to this benefit.   

The statute also covers volunteers performing work related to bioterrorism, volunteers working for the Department of agriculture and emergency management volunteers and many other public volunteers.   

Volunteers perform high risk work, which means the injuries can be severe. The worse the injury, the higher the likelihood you will need to miss time from work. At Stark & Stark, our job is to make sure you receive the maximum benefits you are entitled to.

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him at: jcreegan@stark-stark.com.

Under New Jersey law, insurance carriers and employers have 30 days to pay temporary benefits before a penalty is assessed. NJSA 34:15-28.1 discusses delay or refusal in payment of temporary benefits, stating, “A delay of 30 days or more shall give rise to a rebuttable presumption of unreasonable and negligent conduct on the part of a self-insured or uninsured employer or an employer’s insurance carrier. If the carrier takes more than 30 days to pay your temporary benefits, the Courts can grant a 25% penalty. This is the motivation for the carrier to pay on time.”   

There are many reasons for delays. For instance, insurance adjusters will often wait until they review a doctor’s report before actually issuing a temporary benefits check. Unfortunately there is not much that can be done to force the carrier’s hand before the 30 day deadline. If a temporary benefits check is a few days late, there is not much that can be done besides a phone call.    

What does work is vigilance. When benefit delays occur, I ask my clients to obtain an out of work note at each doctor’s visit, at this point, our office will send the out of work note to the insurance carrier and contact the adjuster to make sure the benefits will be paid. If the carrier continues to delay, our office can file a motion with the Court.  

If you’re experiencing problems collecting out of work benefits, please contact me for a free consultation regarding what can be done. I am Certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Workers’ Compensation law attorney and have represented hundreds of clients who have been hurt on the job. I see every day how these claims impact people’s lives and in the event that you have been injured at work, I strongly recommend you consult with us.

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him at: jcreegan@stark-stark.com.

James Creegan is a Shareholder in Stark & Stark's Lawrenceville, New Jersey office concentrating his practice in Workers' Compensation law. For questions, or to schedule a free consultaiton with Mr. Creegan, please contact him at: jcreegan@stark-stark.com.

The answer is definitely “NO” – report it, report it, report it!

If you’re hurt while working, you have to notify your employer. Even if it feels like you can shake the injury off after a couple days, it’s extremely important to report the initial injury. If you don’t report it and the physical problems don’t go away overnight or over the weekend, it’s a recipe for a big headache.

Each employer can have its own deadline for reporting an on the job injury. The law sets forth specific deadlines, and an employer cannot deny treatment in the long run as long as you have reported an on the job injury.  However, failing to report an accident right away could cause problems. For instance, many employers will require a first report of an accident to occur within 24 hours of the accident.  

Failure to report an accident on time can result in a reprimand or suspension without pay while your employer or its insurance carrier investigates your claim. Depending on your history, this could also result in a termination for failure to follow your employer’s policy.  

If you don’t report an accident on time, it gives the insurance carrier an opportunity to deny your claim.   Then, your private health insurance carrier can deny medical treatment because the injuries are work related. This leaves you stuck in the middle with no coverage for the injury.  

Reporting the accident is the best way to prevent problems in the future.   If you don’t need medical care, then all you did is report what happened and show that you worked through it.   If you need to see a doctor, you’ve prevented one of the most common problems in a workers’ compensation claim right from the start.  

What should you do?  If you’re hurt while working, report the incident to your supervisor and request a copy of the incident report. If you require immediate medical care, you should tell this to your employer.  

You should also familiarize yourself with your employer’s individual reporting requirements. As long as you comply with the worker’s compensation statute and report an accident within 90 days, you are protected. This does not protect you from an initial denial of your claim or disciplinary action by your employer.  

If you didn’t think you needed to see a doctor and the pain becomes unbearable while at home, you can go to the Emergency Room, but make sure to give a thorough description of how you were injured.  Initial emergency room records can be very important when attempting to prove an accident occurred.

Don’t think you’re doing anyone a favor by not mentioning an accident until it’s really a problem, because you’ll only regret it later. Reporting an accident is really a matter of protecting yourself.  

While many studies point out that 10 years is not long enough to see a statistical difference in cancer rates, as many cancers have a longer manifestation period, this is the first step in recognizing the possibility that these heroes put themselves at an increased risk to save others.  This was headline news in the New York Times, in which the September 1, 2011 article, “Study Suggests Higher Cancer Risk for 9/11 Firefighters” stated: “A new study says firefighters who toiled in the wreckage of the World Trade Center in 2001 were 19% more likely to develop cancer than those that were not there, the strongest evidence to date of a possible link between work at ground zero and cancer.”

Exposure to dust, debris and toxins is not limited to the World Trade Center site; firefighters and first responders know firsthand of these risks. The problem is that other incidents and exposures are not as well documented as those of 9/11. This is why it is extremely important to keep a journal of any significant fires, chemical spills, explosions or other incidents in which you may have been exposed to harmful substances.    

If you develop cancer as a result of something you were exposed to at work, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. To prove this, you’ll need to be able to show that you were exposed to harmful substances and that the exposure contributed to your cancer. This is why it’s very important to keep your own exposure journal, as employers will definitely not do this for you. If you, or someone you know, is suffering from cancer as a result of work-related exposures, please contact me to set up a free consultation here in my firm’s Lawrenceville, New Jersey office in order to discuss your case in more detail.

According to a recent New York Times article Post-Traumatic Stress Still Haunts, at least 10,000 firefighters, police officers and civilians were affected by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. The shockwaves from this one single event have had a long and widespread emotional impact on so many people who had no physical contact with the day’s events.

In the medical world, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) really only came into recognition over the last 30 years – beginning with soldiers returning from the Vietnam War. For the people who developed PTSD as a result of the events of September 11th, only treatment assistance, not compensation for their injuries, is available. Fortunately, the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Courts recognize PTSD and its disabling effects.

According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) “PTSD is an anxiety disorder that some people get after seeing or living through a dangerous event. When in danger, it’s natural to feel afraid. This fear triggers many split-second changes in the body to prepare to defend against the danger or to avoid it. This “fight-or-flight” response is a healthy reaction meant to protect a person from harm. But in PTSD, this reaction is changed or damaged. People who have PTSD may feel stressed or frightened even when they’re no longer in danger.”

The NIMH lists 3 categories for the symptoms of PTSD:

1. Re-Experiencing Symptoms – include flashbacks, bad dreams and frightening thoughts and can cause problems in a person’s everyday life;
2. Avoidance Symptoms – include staying away from places, events, or objects that are reminders of the experience, feeling emotionally numb, feeling strong guilt, depression or anexity, losing interest in activities that were enjoyable in the past and having trouble remembering the triggering event
3. Hyperarousal Symptoms – include being easily startled, feeling tense or “on edge” and having difficulty sleeping, and/or having angry outbursts. Hyperarousal symptoms are more constant and are not brought on by events or outside stimuli.

To receive workers compensation benefits, the incident needs to occur while you are working. The problem is, PTSD claims are the type that insurance carriers are extremely likely to deny. The symptoms of PTSD can take years to manifest themselves and are difficult to properly diagnose. It’s very easy for an insurance carrier to claim your psychiatric problems have nothing to do with a work incident. Insurance carriers will basically take a ‘prove it’ stance and point to any other factors.

This is why you should consult an attorney if you have developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder as a result of something that occurred to you while working. At Stark & Stark, we have years of experiencing representing workers with PTSD and can help you obtain treatment and benefits. Feel free to contact me in the firm’s Lawrenceville, New Jersey office for a free consultation to discuss the options available to you.

The Court noted that when Cathleen Renner worked from home, she would sit for long hours at a time to meet various deadlines imposed by her employer, AT&T.  The Court found that the level of inactivity involved with this prolonged sitting caused stasis of the blood resulting in the formation of a blood clot, as opposed to one of Cathleen’s other risk factors. Cathleen weighed over 300 lbs. and AT&T wanted to blame her death on her weight and other risk factors.   The autopsy report indicated the blood clot was fresh, meaning that something caused it within the timeframe Cathleen was working leading up to her death.

The insurance company’s own doctor admitted “it would certainly be less likely” for Cathleen to suffer a pulmonary embolism had she not been working that day.

The question for the appellate division to consider was whether the lack of movement at work was more severe than the level of inactivity in Cathleen’s daily life outside work, and whether the work activity caused the pulmonary embolism in a material way.  

The Court held that the inactivity Cathleen experienced was more severe than the level of inactivity outside of work.  There was substantial credible evidence in the record that Cathleen was fairly active outside of work, both around the house and caring for her children.    

The Court held that the sedentary work condition was the cause of the clot to a material degree.   Just because a person is overweight, doesn’t mean he or she is not entitled to the same rights and protections as anyone else.    It would be like saying that because a firefighter smokes he should be denied benefits for any breathing problems he develops from exposure to smoke and chemicals over a career.   

The reaction section to the article about the case on the Star Ledger’s website, NJ.com, entitled “Court rules husband of Edison AT&T worker who died from blood clot entitled to workers’ compensation,” features many comments expressing outrage that an overweight person is entitled to any benefits.   Significant medical evidence exists showing that sitting for an extended period of time can lead to this type of clot.  It is tempting to blame the cause of Cathleen’s death on her weight, but the scientific evidence says otherwise and supports the Court’s findings.   The Dependency benefits awarded by the Court are designed to compensate a spouse for the loss of a significant level of financial support.   This was a 25 year employee, wife and mother who died from a work related condition.  The insurance company’s own doctor admitted that Cathleen probably would not have died but for the prolonged inactivity directly caused by her work.   An important lesson to take from this is to remain active throughout the day by standing up and moving around your office periodically.

If you have developed an injury or medical condition that you feel is work related, please call us for a free consultation. We have experienced trial attorneys able to handle the complex legal issues that can arise in a workers’ compensation case.

There’s usually a grace period after a work injury, when your co-workers and supervisors are very supportive and concerned about your recovery.  Then, as time goes on, you’re treated as though you’re the one who is to blame for your injury and any other problems at the workplace, even if there is no connection to your absence.  It may be human nature, it may be just one person with an axe to grind, but one way or the other, it will cause a great deal of stress for you.  Workers’ Compensation in New Jersey is a “No Fault” system.  This means it doesn’t matter if an accident is caused by either the employee or employer’s own negligence.  If you are hurt while you are working, you are entitled to benefits, end of story.   

If you’re back at work, it’s time to focus on your job and avoid discussing your injury and problems with co-workers.  This will minimize any of the resentment your co-workers may have because they feel they had more work while you were out or resent the fact you were paid while out of work recuperate.
Resentments from co-workers can lead to big trouble.   Over time, the perception that an injured worker is on an all expense paid vacation, rather than recovering seems to creep up.   While there is usually no basis for suspicion, be aware that insurance carriers and employers are increasingly keeping track of injured workers through video surveillance and other investigative tactics.   Insurance carriers love throwing around the word ‘fraud’, and most of the time, it’s just not the case.  What you can do, is follow your doctor’s advice and any restrictions you are placed on.  

If you are taken out of work and receiving temporary disability benefits, you cannot perform other work.    This means you cannot work at a part-time job or help out a friend or family member with a day’s work because you’re out of work and collect benefits at the same time.  If you are collecting workers’ compensation benefits and working, the insurance carrier will find out, whether through surveillance or a disgruntled co-worker that is upset you are being paid while out for your injury.  If you have questions regarding temporary disability benefits, you should speak to an attorney.  At Stark & Stark we are committed to protecting the rights of injured workers and offer free consultations to discuss any questions regarding your work related injury.   

According to the Consumer Reports survey, 61% of patients said they researched health information on the internet to help with their medical care. However, only 8% of doctors said that the internet research by patients was very helpful. Having some knowledge of your injury or condition can be a good thing, but it can go too far. If you are telling the doctor what he or she needs to prescribe or self-diagnosing, you will probably meet some resistance.  

If you’re going to research on the internet, Consumer Reports recommends that instead of starting by entering the name of your condition, you should go directly to a reliable website to start your search. If you’re going to research your injury or condition, Consumer Reports recommends the following sites as reputable sources of information:

• MedlinePlus (information about conditions or diseases)
• Food and Drug Administration
• Mayo Clinic 
• Cleveland Clinic

It is also recommended that if you bring any internet research to the doctor’s office, only print out the relevant portion, as your time with the doctor is limited.  The study suggests that you should write down a list of questions before you go to the doctor’s office, and make sure they’re in priority order in case you can’t fit them all in. Another good tip is to ask the doctor if you can follow up with him via e-mail if you have any additional questions. This allows the doctor to respond to your additional questions at his or her convenience, but cuts down on the number of hoops you need to jump through to ask the doctor a question.  

Doctors said that being respectful to your physician was the second most important thing that patients could do to obtain better care. You have every right to expect a high level of professionalism from your doctor regardless of whether you were injured at work or at home. The article offers good advice “Feel free to discuss, even debate your doctor’s treatment plan while you’re still in the office. Then do your best to comply.”  

What was the top complaint of doctors surveyed?  Non-compliance with medical treatment. This includes taking medication, following through on home exercise and carries over to returning to work on a light duty basis if your doctor says to. If you try to go back to work, and it doesn’t work out, you have much more credibility than telling the doctor in the exam room that it’s just not possible.   

Your employer through its insurance carrier picks your treating doctor.  You cannot go out on your own to seek treatment or a second opinion without running the risk of being personally responsible for the cost of the treatment.  There are very few exceptions to this rule and you should consult with one of the attorneys at Stark & Stark before ever attempting to treat on your own. At Stark & Stark we have a great deal of experience dealing with the medical issues that arise in a workers’ compensation claim. In addition to obtaining a financial award for any permanent injuries at the end of your claim, we can help you with your medical treatment issues.