List of Forms and Contact Details Required to Request Medical Records in New Jersey (PI Lawyers' Checklist)

New Jersey personal injury lawyers often wait weeks (and sometimes longer) for medical records using traditional retrieval methods—time that can affect case strategy and outcomes. This checklist covers the authorization forms and request requirements you need to retrieve complete medical records efficiently for litigation. Platforms like Codes Health can help deliver complete records in approximately 10–12 days (flat fee) while catching authorization errors before they trigger rejections.

Key Takeaways

• New Jersey law requires medical records delivery within 30 days of receiving a proper request
• The NJ HIPAA-Compliant Authorization Form supports requests across most New Jersey facilities and ROI/HIM departments
• Major health systems like Hackensack Meridian Health operate 18 hospitals with centralized processing
• NJ statute prohibits fees for disability-related requests under N.J.S.A. § 26:2H-5n(d)(5)
• Incomplete authorizations are the #1 cause of denied requests—missing signatures or unchecked boxes restart your 30-day clock
• Codes Health's AI delivers organized records in 10-12 days with automated error prevention and daily provider follow-ups

Understanding New Jersey Medical Record Laws for PI Cases

New Jersey operates under both federal HIPAA requirements and state-specific regulations that govern medical record access for personal injury litigation. The New Jersey statute mandates that healthcare providers deliver records within 30 days of receiving a proper request.

Key legal protections for PI lawyers:

• Records must be delivered in the manner specified by the requestor
• Both hospitals (§ 26:2H-5n(d)(5)) and physicians (§ 45:9-22.27) must comply
• No charge for records requested on behalf of patients with pending Social Security disability benefits
• Providers who deny requests must provide written explanation

The reality check: Despite legal requirements, manual retrieval can stretch to 60–90 days due to processing delays, authorization issues, and follow-up gaps. This is where Codes Health's automated daily follow-ups and AI-powered error prevention become essential—catching issues before they cause delays.

Essential Forms for Medical Records Release in New Jersey PI Cases

Every medical records request requires a properly executed authorization form. New Jersey offers multiple options depending on your case needs.

NJ HIPAA-Compliant Authorization Form (Generic Template)

The generic HIPAA form works with any New Jersey healthcare provider and remains valid for 2 years from execution.

What it covers:

• Complete medical records (all pages)
• Office notes, history and physical, consultation notes
• Inpatient, outpatient, and emergency room treatment
• Test results, lab work, pathology
• Radiology films (CT, MRI, MRA, EMG, bone scans)
• Pharmacy/prescription records
• Billing records and insurance claim forms

Critical feature: This form specifically authorizes release of sensitive information including STDs, AIDS/HIV, and substance abuse records—compliant with 42 CFR 2.31 requirements.

NJ Department of Human Services HIPAA Authorization

The official state form from the Office of Legal and Regulatory Affairs is essential for cases involving state services.

Special provisions include:

• Psychotherapy Records (separate checkbox)
• Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Records
• HIV/AIDS Related Information
• Electronic or hard copy format specification

Best for: Cases involving Division of Developmental Disabilities, Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, or other DHS-related records.

Provider-Specific Forms

Major health systems maintain their own authorization templates. While providers cannot create unreasonable barriers, using facility-specific forms typically expedites processing.

Common rejection reason: Incomplete authorizations are the #1 cause of denied requests. Missing patient signatures, unclear expiration dates, or unchecked boxes for sensitive records can restart your 15-day clock. Codes Health’s AI review catches these errors before submission—automatically flagging misspellings, missing dates of service, and signature issues that commonly trigger rejections.

Contacting Healthcare Providers: A New Jersey Directory for PI Lawyers

New Jersey's largest healthcare systems process thousands of records requests monthly. Each maintains distinct procedures that can accelerate or derail your retrieval timeline.

Hackensack Meridian Health System (18 Facilities)

The largest integrated network in NJ serves over 4 million patients annually with comprehensive statewide coverage.

Contact Information:

• Online Portal: Swellbox platform (fastest option)
• MyChart Access: MyChart.hmhn.org
• Processing Time: 30 days (NJ state law)

Key Facility Contacts:

• Hackensack University Medical Center: 551-996-2075 | Hackensack
• Jersey Shore University Medical Center: 732-776-4241 | Neptune
• Ocean University Medical Center: 732-840-3331 | Brick
• Mountainside Medical Center: 973-429-6042 | Montclair
• Bayshore Medical Center: 732-739-5933 | Holmdel
• Riverview Medical Center: 732-530-2333 | Red Bank
• Southern Ocean Medical Center: 609-597-6011 x2121 | Manahawkin

Note: Spanish-language forms are available for this health system.

University Hospital Newark (Level I Trauma Center)

New Jersey's only public academic health sciences center is critical for motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, and serious injury cases.

Contact Information:

• Phone: 973-972-5608
• Address: 150 Bergen Street, Medical Record Correspondence, Room B417, Newark, NJ 07103
• Hours: 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Monday through Friday
• Fees: No charge for personal copies or continuity of care

Multilingual Authorization Forms:

• English
• Spanish
• Creole
• Portuguese

Important Note: Reproductive Health Care Privacy attestation is required by University Hospital Newark for certain record requests involving female patients age 10-70.

Saint Peter's University Hospital

This Central NJ center uses Datavant (formerly CIOX) for electronic requests.

Contact Information:

• Phone: 732-745-8511 (Health Information Management)
• Fax: 732-729-9476
• Address: 254 Easton Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901
• Hours: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
• Online Request: Swellbox portal

Forms: English PDF | Spanish PDF

CarePoint Health System (Hudson County)

CarePoint Health operates three hospitals in densely populated Hudson County.

Electronic Request: ChartFast platform for 24-hour turnaround

Facility Contacts:

• Bayonne Medical Center: 201-858-5308 | Fax: 201-858-6562 | 29 E 29th Street, Bayonne
• Christ Hospital: 201-795-5965 | Fax: 201-795-8424 | 176 Palisade Avenue, Jersey City
• Hoboken University Medical Center: 201-418-1458 | Fax: 201-603-6692 | 308 Willow Avenue, Hoboken

Fees: No charge for medical facility transfers; $6.50 for personal copies.

St. Joseph's Health System (North Jersey)

Two facilities in Paterson and Wayne with 24-hour electronic delivery through Patient Central Link.

Facility Contacts:

• St. Joseph's University Medical Center (Paterson): 973-754-2996 | Fax: 201-561-0119
• St. Joseph's Wayne Medical Center: 973-956-3715 | Fax: 201-561-0119

Provider Fax for Continuity of Care: 201-455-6366

Cooper University Health Care (South Jersey)

The primary Level I Trauma Center for South Jersey offers faster processing than most facilities.

Contact Information:

• Address: 1 Federal Street, Suite 200, Camden, NJ 08103-1118
• Phone: 856-342-2541, option 1
• Processing Time: 10 days (faster than standard 30)
• Fees: No fee for electronic health information
• Online Portal: my.cooperhealth.org

Additional Major Systems

Atlantic Health System (Morris County):

• Phone: 973-971-7023
• Fax: 973-971-7159 or 973-898-3915
• Hours: Monday-Thursday 8:00-4:00, Friday 7:00-3:00
• Processing: Up to 30 days

Virtua Health (Burlington County): 5 facilities including Marlton, Mount Holly, Voorhees, Our Lady of Lourdes, and Willingboro.

Jefferson Health NJ: Cherry Hill, Stratford, and Washington Township hospitals share a single contact: 856-406-4850.

Inspira Health (Rural South Jersey): 6 facilities with authorization valid 180 days from signature.

Managing multiple providers becomes exponentially complex as case complexity increases. A typical car accident case might involve 5-10 providers; catastrophic injuries could require records from 30+ sources. Codes Health's platform lets you submit all requests through one interface while tracking statuses in real-time.

NJ State Psychiatric Hospitals: Essential Contacts

For PI cases involving psychiatric injuries, PTSD claims, or defendants with mental health history, state facility records require specific contacts.

Active Facilities:

• Ancora Psychiatric Hospital: (609) 561-1700, Ext. 7427 | 301 Spring Garden Rd., Ancora, NJ 08037
• Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital: (973) 538-1800, Ext. 4390 | 59 Koch Rd., Morris Plains, NJ 07950
• Trenton Psychiatric Hospital: (609) 633-1618 | P.O. Box 7500, Sullivan Way, Trenton, NJ 08628
• Ann Klein Forensic Center: (609) 943-5665 | PO Box 7717, West Trenton, NJ 08628

Closed Facilities:

• Arthur Brisbane Child Treatment Center: Contact DCF.PrivacyOfficer@dcf.nj.gov or (609) 888-7222
• Hagedorn & Marlboro Psychiatric Hospitals: Contact Division of Behavioral Health Services at 609-913-5324

Retrieving Older and Historic Medical Records in New Jersey

Obtaining records several years old presents unique challenges for PI lawyers building comprehensive case histories.

NJ record retention requirements: Providers must maintain medical records for a minimum period, though exact requirements vary by provider type. When records are unavailable:

• Verify facility hasn't merged or been acquired (records may have transferred)
• Check with state health department archives
• Use proprietary databases to locate patients' previous providers

Codes Health advantage: The platform employs proprietary databases to locate previous providers, particularly important for cases involving multiple treatment facilities or years of medical history. Their Missing Record Review identifies gaps in record collection before trial.

The Role of AI in Streamlining Medical Records for PI Litigation

Traditional manual retrieval methods consume 30-90 days when records could arrive in a fraction of that time. AI-powered platforms are transforming this critical workflow.

How Codes Health accelerates retrieval:

• AI-powered request review catches errors before submission—flagging misspellings, missing dates, and signature issues
• Automated daily follow-ups maintain pressure on providers without staff intervention
• Real-time status tracking provides complete visibility into every request
• Automatic record organization delivers chronological timelines ready for expert review
• Case-critical insights extraction identifies buried diagnoses, breaches of care, and future medical expenses

IImportant distinction: Some services advertise same-day retrieval, but those “instant” pulls often don’t include the complete chart and still require client involvement to finish the request—creating delays and churn. Codes Health focuses on complete, comprehensive records delivered in 10–12 days without pushing follow-up work onto your client.

Key differentiator: General AI tools (ChatGPT, etc.) aren’t designed to reliably analyze medical records for litigation and can miss context or structure in complex charts. Codes Health’s AI is purpose-built for legal workflows and can analyze and organize medical records with high precision for personal injury, mass torts, and medical malpractice matters. Codes Health’s MIT-educated engineering team continuously builds out additional workflows and products, ensuring the platform constantly evolves, improves, and becomes more comprehensive to meet the changing demands of legal teams working with medical records.

For high-volume PI practices, Codes Health can build custom integrations with CRM platforms and other medical software to streamline intake, tracking, and downstream case workflows.

Ensuring Accuracy and Completeness: A PI Lawyer's Guide

Receiving records is only half the battle. Systematic quality control prevents trial surprises.

Initial Receipt Checklist:

• All requested date ranges covered without gaps
• All record types included (treatment notes AND billing AND imaging)
• Records legible and complete (no cutoff pages)
• Correct patient name on all pages
• Imaging CDs physically enclosed

Common gaps requiring follow-up:

• Treatment gaps between documented appointments
• Lab results referenced in notes but not included
• Prescriptions documented but pharmacy records missing
• Referrals documented but specialist records absent

Codes Health's AI-powered quality assurance visualizes missing records, identifies incomplete deliveries requiring follow-up, and flags chronological inconsistencies—providing a safety net that catches issues human reviewers might miss.

Beyond PI: Other New Jersey Records for Legal Cases

Some personal injury cases require vital records beyond medical documentation.

NJ Vital Records Resources:

• Birth certificates: NJ State Vital Statistics
• Death certificates: Required for wrongful death cases and deceased patient records
• Marriage/divorce records: County clerk offices

For deceased patient records, include death certificate plus proper representative authorization with your medical records request.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do New Jersey providers legally have to release medical records?

New Jersey law requires providers to deliver medical records within 30 days of receiving a proper request. Both hospitals and physicians must comply under N.J.S.A. § 26:2H-5n(d)(5) and § 45:9-22.27.

Do I need a specific HIPAA authorization form for New Jersey, or is a general one sufficient?

The generic HIPAA form works with any New Jersey healthcare provider. However, using provider-specific forms from major health systems like Hackensack Meridian or RWJBarnabas typically expedites processing.

What steps should I take if a New Jersey healthcare provider denies my medical record request?

Implement strategic escalation: start with a polite inquiry call, escalate to supervisor with statute citation, then contact the compliance officer. Reference NJ's 30-day legal requirement. Codes Health automates daily follow-ups to prevent these delays from occurring.

Are there specific New Jersey laws regarding how long healthcare providers must retain medical records?

Yes, NJ providers must maintain records for minimum retention periods. For older records from closed practices, check for facility mergers or acquisitions—records typically transfer to successor entities. State psychiatric facility records from closed hospitals are maintained by the Division of Behavioral Health Services.

Can I avoid medical record fees in New Jersey?

NJ statute prohibits fees for records requested on behalf of patients with pending or current Social Security disability benefits. Include this statement on your authorization: "This request is made on behalf of a patient who has a pending application for, or is currently receiving, Social Security disability benefits."