If you have been injured on the job, you are generally not allowed to sue your employer or other co-workers. You are allowed, however, to be compensated through the worker’s compensation system for medical expenses, lost wages, and other damages you have incurred. If someone other than your employer or co-workers caused your workplace accident, you are then allowed to file a third party injury claim against that person.
Washington’s worker’s compensation laws can be difficult to understand and navigate through. As such, an experienced Seattle worker’s compensation lawyer can help you understand all of your benefits and determine if you are eligible to file a third party injury claim.
Examples of Third Party Injury Accidents
There are many ways you can be injured by a negligent third party while on the job, but the most common ones include:
- Dog bite or animal attack
- Slip and fall due to property owner’s negligence in a building where you were working
- Defective product, tool, or device that injured you on the job
- Car accident while working on the job
- Construction site accidents by other contractors on the job
- Toxic exposure
- Sexual assault while on the job
- Injuries while working on a different job site
- And more
The benefits to filing a third party injury claim are numerous. Unlike worker’s compensation, there are no limits put on the amount of damages you may seek. While worker’s compensation may fail to meet all of your medical needs, a third party injury claim can ensure that you have enough money to meet all of your expenses and fully recover.
The Department of Labor & Industries, a third party administrator, or a self-insured employer may have given you paperwork to fill out after your injury. This paperwork may have included options about filing a lawsuit against a third party. If you do not complete this paperwork in a timely manner, you could lose your ability to file a third party claim. Before filing out any paperwork, discuss your accident with a lawyer. Your attorney can make certain that you receive all the benefits to which you are entitled and ensure that you do not miss any critical deadlines for filing third party injury claims.
Contact Seattle Worker’s Compensation Attorneys
If you have been injured on the job and have questions regarding your worker’s compensation, an experienced worker’s compensation attorney at Phillips Law Firm can help. If you are interested in learning more about your legal options, call us at 1-800-708-6000. Our Seattle worker’s compensation attorneys are waiting to assist you 24/7, offering a free case evaluation. Remember our no fee promise. If we do not recover anything for you, you do not owe us an attorney fee.
The workers’ compensation lawyers at Phillips Law Firm have successfully represented injured individuals and their families in Seattle, Tacoma, Vancouver, Bellevue, Everett, Kent, Auburn, Renton, Federal Way, Bellingham, Marysville, Lakewood, Redmond, Shoreline, and throughout the State of Washington.