Construction Site Accidents – Third Party Negligence

Injuries on construction sites do not necessarily have to be due to the negligence of the employer or co-worker. So called, ‘third parties’ can also be involved, someone or some company other than your employer or co-worker. Such as negligence of the property owner, the sub-contractor, or if you are involved in a car accident while on the job. It is important to keep in mind that even if your injuries were sustained due to third party negligence, you are still eligible for Worker’s Compensation (or worker’s comp).

Worker’s comp is designed to provide payments to cover medical expenses or lost wages, based on a percentage of their wages, if they are injured at the work place. However, in many cases worker’s comp may not be enough to cover long-term medical expenses or provide long-term income, if the injured party is the sole income-generator for a family. In these cases, it makes sense to determine if third party negligence was involved in your injury or not – receiving worker’s comp does not preclude you from filing a personal injury law suit.

In some cases, the plaintiffs may have an additional case, if they were injured in the workplace by a defective power tool or equipment. In such cases, the manufacturer of the product may also be liable for negligence for designing, manufacturing and/or selling a defective product.