Workplaces like construction sites, warehouses, farms and industrial worksites are all dangerous places. With heavy machinery, toxic materials and uneven and slippery floors, the potential for accidents and injuries is immense. To protect workers on such sites, most states have workers compensation programs for those injured in industrial or construction accidents. In some cases, the injuries worker may also be able to file third party claims against those responsible for the accident or injury.
Filing for workers compensation
Workplace injuries can create multiple traumas for the injured worker. Apart from the physical injury, loss of income, emotional stress and worries about being able to work in the future all create a perfect storm of bad luck and mischance. In such a situation, good advice and legal help in getting the compensation due to you can make all the difference.
Most states have workers compensation laws that provide compensation for workers injured on the job, in workplace or constriction accidents. Filing for workers compensation is a complicated matter, and some one who has just been injured will find it very difficult to get al the paperwork and supporting documentation together. Getting help from a personal injury lawyer can make all the difference in this situation.
Workers compensation and third party claims
While workers compensation provides for workers injured in workplace and construction accidents, it also prevents the injured party from suing the employer for negligence or responsibility for causing the accident or for creating the conditions that led to it. Moreover, the amount of compensation may be insufficient to make up for the medical bills and loss of income caused by the accident.
In states like Oregon, there are also third party claims, by which injured workers can sue for damages from a third party who does not work for the employer but is responsible for creating the conditions that caused the accident. Third parties might be contractors or subcontractors, or the manufacturers of a defective piece of machinery or equipment that caused the accident.
Getting help in filing a claim
Most personal injury claims are settled out of court, but it takes an experienced personal injury lawyer to get the full compensation owed to the client. Personal injury attorneys, who have wide experience of all kinds of workplace injuries, truck accidents and motor vehicle accidents, can help someone who has been injured in a workplace accident such as construction accidents, to file for compensation under workers compensation.
Workers compensation and third party claims are intended to help victims of workplace and construction accidents, but the legal requirements can be complex. For someone who has just suffered a devastating injury, dealing with the paperwork can be a dianthus task.
Unfortunately, workplaces like construction sites, warehouses, farms and factories are inherently dangerous and there is always a risk of injury. Workplace injuries and construction accidents can affect the injured person in many different ways. Workers compensation and third party claims can provide monetary compensation that may help the injured worker in getting their lives back on track.