Hurt at work and not sure if you have a third party claim? ask us

You owe, you owe so it’s off to work you go, right? If you are like most people, there are days you like your job and many you would rather stay in bed. Further, if you work at a construction site or other fairly dangerous workplace, you head to the job each morning aware that safety is an important part of your day.
Hopefully, your employer makes sure there is working safety equipment nearby and that any site violations that may cause injury to workers are cleared up as soon as they become apparent. However, no matter how careful you are, accidents are bound to happen.
Since you can’t sue your employer if you get hurt at work, what can you do to get compensated for your injuries? First, you file for Workers’ Comp and get the medical treatment and replacement pay you are entitled to receive. At some point, when your medical treatment is completed, you may be able to file for a cash award depending on the extent of your injuries. A good Workers’ Comp lawyer can help you pursue this claim.
But what about right now? You believe your injury was cause by a faulty machine or safety equipment that failed? Maybe another subcontractor did something that caused you to get hurt. What are your rights in those situations?
Here are some examples:

• You are a delivery guy and you are out on your daily rounds. Your work van gets creamed by a drunk driver. You’ll file for Workers’ Comp but you may have a third party claim against the driver of the other vehicle.
• You’re a window washer dangling outside a high rise building. All of a sudden, the chain on the swinging platform you were balanced on  comes loose and you find yourself on the sidewalk below. You may have a claim against the manufacturer of the equipment and well as the company that installed it.

These are known as “third party claims. They come into play when a worker gets hurt while performing his job duties by a person or thing that is not directly linked to the employer’s business. To pursue a third party claim, you need to hire an experienced lawyer who not only understands Workers’ Comp law but who is on top of the personal injury and product liability laws in New jersey.
If you or someone you love has been injured while at work, speak to a seasoned attorney who can determine exactly how you should proceed. At Team Law, we will help you file for Workers’ Comp benefits and we will investigate what happened to determine if you have any third or even fourth party claims. We’ll fight to get you the maximum compensation allowed by law. Contact our offices today for a free consultation.