In a landmark decision the NJ Court of Appeals held that medical provider claims for expenses in workers’ compensation claims are subject to a contractual six-year statute of limitations. The ruling will have a major impact upon the overburdened state’s Division of Workers’ Compensation (NJDWC) system.
The NJDWC is already recognizing a soaring number of medical expense disputes and it lacks a standardized adjudication process. The Legislature should establish a medical fee schedule and create a separate alternate dispute resolution (ADR) system to adjudicate the medical provider claims.