I have served as a personal injury attorney for 34 years, and I can’t begin to stress how many questions I receive on how to pursue a workplace accident injury. When a person is hurt on the job, it is evident the employer must be notified in order to provide the injured worker benefits.
The state of Ohio requires all employers (with exceptions) carry some form of workers compensation insurance to protect workers in case of injury or illness. However, a common question workers ask is, “what are my options to pursue the negligent party?”
When someone other than an employer or co-worker is at fault for a work injury, this is referred to as a third party claim.
A third party claim may be possible when an outside party is at-fault for a worker’s injury. There are certain risks associated with some occupations, and sometimes these risks cannot be controlled or avoided.
Here are several examples of a third party claim for personal injury:
- Car accidents. If you are on the clock and driving a company vehicle, a negligent driver strikes your vehicle and causes injury. If the other party has car insurance, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim against their insurance in addition to filing workers compensation.
- Faulty equipment/machinery. If a worker is injured by a defective piece of equipment, a 3rd party suit may be brought against the manufacturer of the product.
- Off-Site Jobs. If you work in a field that involves working at other companies or people’s homes, there may be risks on that property that results in an injury. Injuries such as being injured by a pet, tripping over an object left by the property owner, or not identifying risks the property owner previously knew about are all examples of a possible claim against the property owner.
If you are questioning the possibility of a third party that caused or contributed to your work injury, please call me immediately to identify your options.
As your Ohio workplace accident attorney, I’ll be there for you, and I’ll Make Them Pay!®
Author: Tim Misny | For over four decades, personal injury lawyer Tim Misny has represented the injured victim in in birth injury, medical malpractice, and catastrophic injury/wrongful death cases, serving “Cleveland, Akron/Canton, Columbus, Dayton and neighboring communities.” You can reach Tim by email at misnylaw.com/ask-tim-a-question/ or call at 1 (800) 556-4769.