A third-party workers’ comp claim is one that focuses on another party who may be liable for injuries, outside of a person’s employer. Often, a third-party lawsuit can be started in addition to a workers’ comp claim.
Traditional workers’ compensation will cover medical bills and pay back a portion of a person’s lost wages for the time that they are out of work and recovering from their injuries. A third-party lawsuit may be able to go further and seek additional compensation.
Why would such a claim be made?
A third-party claim essentially states that another person or entity was responsible for the injuries and should be liable for covering the cost of some of the damages.
A common example of this is if a worker is injured by faulty equipment. Say that a construction worker is using a saw that malfunctions, leading to an amputation injury.
Because the injury happened on the job, that worker may be able to seek workers’ comp benefits. But if they were using a defective piece of equipment, then, under product liability laws, they may be able to start a third-party claim against the equipment manufacturer and designer. The injury would not have happened if the equipment in question had been safely constructed.
Seeking appropriate compensation
These are just two areas to consider if you have been injured on the job. Take the time to carefully look into all of your legal options to seek the compensation you deserve.