Workers Compensation --- Not the Only Way to Recover Money for On-Job Injury

Does anyone like giving money away?  Of course not.  What if I were to tell you that people who were injured in an on-the-job accident unknowingly and routinely leave thousands of dollars on the table. This post will show you how you can maximize your monetary recovery for injuries sustained at work.

Everyone knows that generally, workers compensation provides compensation and benefits for individuals who are injured while doing work for their employer.  What most people do not know however, is that workers compensation benefits are usually significantly less than what an injured employee can make in a third-party lawsuit against those who are responsible for the accident.  I am not talking about an either or situation. I am telling you that an injured worker can often receive workers compensation benefits AND recover money against the party responsible for the accident.

Under the workers compensation laws, an injured employee can not sue their employer for their injuries.  In exchange for not suing their employer, the legislature has enacted rules that provide for compensation to be issued to the injured worker. This compensation is usually minimal.

However, there are situations where, in addition to that workers compensation, the injured employee can sue a third-party who is responsible for the accident.  For example, an employee could be injured when they go to sit in their desk chair and the chair collapses, causing significant back injuries.  The injured employee could then file a lawsuit against the manufacturer of the desk chair, which could lead to a significant settlement or verdict in the employee's favor-- in addition to the money workers compensation provides them. Similarly, a laborer could be working at a job site, when a delivery person runs over their foot, causing a fracture. In such instance, the injured worker could sue the delivery company for their injuries.

These are real-life examples of cases where workers compensation will provide limited compensation to the worker. If the worker does not seek out a lawyer skilled in personal injury litigation, he/she could leave massive amounts of money on the table that they could otherwise get and use for ongoing medical treatment and/or to compensate them for long-term pain and suffering. 

Personal injury attorneys like me will not charge anyone for an initial consultation and will not take a dime unless we recover money for our clients. An injured worker has nothing to lose and everything to gain my consulting with a personal injury attorney if they have been injured on the job. Workers compensation is negligible compared to what an injured employee stands to make in a suit against the responsible party.

If you know someone who was injured on the job, encourage them to seek a consultation with a personal injury attorney.  Their bank account may thank you for it.

The Law Office of Daniel J. McCarey, LLC has office locations in Scotch Plains, NJ and New York City.  We handle all types of personal injury matters, including car, motorcycle and truck accidents, construction accidents, dog bites, product liability, wrongful death and medical malpractice claims.  For more information, please call (908) 939-8055 or visit our website at http:www//mccareylaw.com