Earlier this month, Levinson Axelrod, P.A. Partner Todd Wachtel of our Raritan office secured a $950,000 settlement for the spouse of a worker who passed away from COVID-19.
According to court documents, Todd represented the widow and family of a delivery driver who caught COVID-19 in March 2020 and later passed away from his illness.
Todd filed a dependency action in the Division of Labor, Department of Worker’s Compensation seeking benefits for the delivery driver’s wife and two minor children. Under the Emergency Orders issued by Governor Murphy, the burden was on the insurance carrier to prove that the COVID exposure came from outside of the workplace, which they eventually conceded that they could not prove.
Ultimately, a Judge of Workers’ Compensation in Plainfield approved a settlement in the amount of $950,000.00. This is one of the larger settlements of our Worker’s Compensation Department, and we are extremely grateful to be able to provide some relief for this family.
Todd D. Wachtel is a NJ Supreme Court Certified Workers’ Compensation Attorney and former Deputy Attorney General who represented the State of New Jersey in Workers’ Compensation proceedings. In his work fighting for claimants, Todd has leveraged his unique insight to help workers and families recover millions in benefits and compensation following work-related injuries and illnesses. Earlier this year, Todd was inducted as a Fellow in the College Of Workers’ Compensation Lawyers and elected to the State Bar’s Executive Committee of the Workers’ Compensation Section, where he assists in reviewing issues and proposed laws critical to the practice of Workers’ Compensation in New Jersey.