Quick Facts on Carpal Tunnel Treatment and Surgery
- Workers’ compensation pays for all reasonable and necessary treatment for a compensable carpal tunnel injury, from a wrist splint to carpal tunnel release surgery, under N.J.S.A. 34:15-15.
- Your employer’s insurance carrier has the right to select your treating physician.
- If your doctor takes you out of work, or restricts you to duties your employer can’t accommodate, you’re generally entitled to temporary disability at 70 percent of your average weekly wage under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(a).
- Benefits don’t always stop once you’re back on the job. A lasting loss of hand or wrist function can support a separate permanent disability award.
When Does Workers' Comp Pay for Carpal Tunnel Treatment and Surgery?
Once a carpal tunnel claim is accepted or awarded, New Jersey law requires the employer’s workers’ compensation carrier to pay for reasonable and necessary medical treatment connected to the injury, under N.J.S.A. 34:15-15. Unlike your group health insurance, authorized treatment has no copays, deductibles, or coinsurance.
Carpal tunnel treatment typically starts conservatively. Depending on severity, that can include:
- Wrist splinting or bracing, often worn at night
- Activity or duty modification
- Physical or occupational therapy
- Steroid injections
- Anti-inflammatory medication
When conservative treatment doesn’t resolve the symptoms, or nerve testing shows a more advanced condition, the next step is often carpal tunnel release surgery, performed either as an open procedure or endoscopically. Workers’ compensation covers the surgery itself along with the post-operative therapy that follows, including a period of splinting and gradually increasing hand and wrist use.
Who Chooses Your Doctor?
Under New Jersey law, your employer’s insurance carrier gets to select the treating physician for a workers’ compensation injury, not you. If you disagree with the treatment being offered, or the surgeon your carrier has selected won’t authorize a procedure your symptoms clearly call for, you, or your attorney, can request an independent medical examination, and if necessary, file a motion with the Division of Workers’ Compensation to compel treatment.
Can You Receive Workers' Compensation Benefits While Recovering From Carpal Tunnel Surgery?
Yes. If your doctor takes you completely out of work following carpal tunnel release surgery, or your restrictions leave you unable to perform your job, and your employer has no lighter work available, you’re generally entitled to temporary disability benefits. Under N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(a), that benefit is calculated at 70 percent of your average weekly wage at the time of injury, subject to the statutory minimum and maximum.
Recovery timelines vary. Many workers are cleared for modified duty within a few weeks of an uncomplicated surgery, while others, particularly in physically demanding jobs, need longer before they can safely resume full duties. Temporary disability continues for as long as you remain out of work or on restrictions your employer can’t accommodate, up to the statutory limits.
If your employer offers light duty within your restrictions and you decline it without good reason, your temporary disability benefits can be suspended. Once you reach maximum medical improvement, your treating doctor evaluates any lasting loss of function, which can then support a permanent disability award under New Jersey’s disability schedule at N.J.S.A. 34:15-12(c), separate from what you already received during recovery.
What if the Insurance Company Delays Your Surgery or Cuts Off Your Benefits?
Surgical authorization delays are one of the most common problems in carpal tunnel cases. An adjuster may drag out approval, send you for an independent medical exam designed to dispute the need for surgery, or cut off temporary disability the moment you’re cleared for any kind of work, whether or not your employer actually has a light duty job available. None of these tactics are the end of your case, but they usually require someone pushing back, whether that’s a formal demand, a motion for medical or temporary benefits, or a hearing before a workers’ compensation judge.
How Kotlar Cohen Handles Carpal Tunnel Treatment and Surgery Claims
At Kotlar Cohen, we don’t wait for a denial to get involved. We push carriers to authorize the treatment your doctors actually recommend, including surgery when it’s warranted, and we make sure your temporary disability checks reflect your correct average weekly wage rather than a lowball number. Once you’ve reached maximum medical improvement, we build the medical record needed to secure the permanent disability award you’re entitled to for any lasting loss of grip strength, sensation, or hand function.
We’ve represented Southern and Northern New Jersey workers since 1995, and we’ve recovered over $1,424,350 for our workers’ compensation clients alone. If your surgery is stalled, your benefits have stopped, or you’re being pushed back to work before you’re ready, call us before you agree to anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q - Does workers' comp pay for carpal tunnel surgery in New Jersey?
Q - Can I choose my own surgeon for a workers' comp carpal tunnel claim?
Q - How much does workers' comp pay while I'm out recovering from carpal tunnel surgery?
Q - What if my employer offers me light duty before I'm ready?
Call Kotlar Cohen About Your Carpal Tunnel Treatment or Surgery
If you’re dealing with a carpal tunnel injury from work and you’re not sure whether workers’ compensation will cover your treatment, your surgery, or your paycheck while you recover, Kotlar Cohen can help you find out.
Contact Kotlar Cohen to schedule a free consultation or call us 24/7 at (856) 751-7676. Located in Mount Laurel and Hackensack, we serve injured workers throughout New Jersey.
