If you’ve gotten hurt on the job, it’s possible your personal injury lawyer is only going for a workers’ compensation. However, the best personal injury attorneys will tell you that there are situations where you can sue for the damages caused by your injuries as well as workers’ compensation.
You might be able to do alright suing exclusively for workers’ compensation money and benefits, your injury may persist after the money runs out. Disability payments are often fairly low, and they don’t account for pain and suffering on the part of the injured worker. Workers’ compensation also doesn’t force employers to pay punitive damages, meaning that the same conditions that caused your injury could arise again.
So when is a work injury relevant to statutes other than labor laws?
- Defective Products: If your injury was caused by a defective product you used or handled on the job, you may have a products liability case against the product’s manufacturer.
- Toxic Substances: An on-the-job injury caused by a toxic substance might make you eligible to bring a toxic tort lawsuit against the substance’s manufacturer.
- Employer Conduct: If your employer’s intentional conduct caused you to be injured, the best personal injury attorney could probably bring a personal injury claim against them as well.
- Employer Lacks Workers’ Compensation: If your employer doesn’t actually have workers’ compensation insurance for injured workers, you can try to sue your employer in a civil court. You may also be able to get money from a state fund.
- Third Party: If a third party like another employee or contractor caused your injury, you may be able to hit them with a personal injury claim.
The best personal injury attorney will be able to look at your case and see the various ways they can fight for you to be compensated. Choose your lawyer well to give yourself the best chance of winning your claims.
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