Did Another Company's Employee Cause Your Work Injuries?

You could get injured at work because of someone who is not your employer or your co-worker but is a third-party worker. What is a third-party entity? All workers or employees who are not part of your company are third-party workers. This could include sub-contractors, other partners working at a construction site, drivers of other companies and the like.

What should you do if you have encountered a workplace-related injury due to a third-party entity?

• Firstly, you should know that in such cases, you can file for workers’ compensation from your employer as well as a personal injury lawsuit against the inflictor of your injury. While workers’ compensation only caters to medical treatment and lost wages due to your workplace injury, personal injury claims also have provisions for pain, suffering and trauma caused by the injury.
• Secondly, you should consult a workers’ compensation lawyer to understand the details of your case and see what damages you are eligible to claim.

Here are some common third-party claims where you could file for workers’ compensation and personal injury:

• Construction site accidents: Many subcontractors are engaged at a construction site, like carpenters, welders, electricians, etc. If you are a construction worker who has been injured due to the negligence or recklessness of another subcontractor’s employees, you are likely to qualify for a personal injury claim and workers’ compensation. Construction workers who get injured due to drivers of heavy vehicles, such as cranes or fork lifters, at the worksite are also eligible to file both claims.
• Car accidents: Designated drivers who get hit by other drivers on the road and suffer injuries can also file lawsuits for personal injury. Since their job duty entails driving and if they were hit during work hours for a work-related job, they can also claim workers’ compensation.
• Negligence by third-party entities: It is possible that an employee of one company lacks the training to perform a certain job. Because of their lack of training or general negligence in following protocols, an employee of another company could get hurt or killed. Such situations call for both types of claims to be pursued.
• Injury due to aggression or violence at work: Acts of violence at the workplace lead to many deaths each year in the U.S. alone. An angry worker could injure many others in a fight, assault or while causing damage to physical property that injures others in the process.

If you have been injured, it will help you to consult a workers’ compensation attorney. Not only will they address your questions but they will xalso clear any ambiguities you might have about your case. The claims filing process also becomes much smoother with an attorney by your side.

The team at Kenton Koszdin Law Office in Van Nuys, has decades of experience navigating the complex California workers’ compensation system and federal Social Security disability system. Our attorneys are on a mission to help injured workers avoid becoming victims of companies and their insurance providers. Get started on your claim today!