Workplace accidents are extremely common and lead to millions of personal injuries each year. When a workplace accident occurs, injury victims can obtain benefits from their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
Workers compensation cases may be a little more complicated when there is a third party involved. Third party workplace injuries describe injury-causing work accidents that are caused by the reckless or negligent actions of a third-party, such as a contract worker. Since third-party workplace injuries are more complex than typical work accidents, it is important for victims of these types of injuries to work with attorneys who are experienced in handling these cases.
One of the most common types of third-party workplace accidents is motor vehicle accidents. Victims of third-party workers motor vehicle accidents can count on the Provo, UT attorneys at Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks to obtain just compensation for all damages stemming from their injuries.
What Is a Third-Party Worker Motor Vehicle Accident?
A third-party worker motor vehicle accident is an auto accident that takes place while a person is performing work duties (and typically while driving or riding in a company vehicle); the accident also involves a third-party. The third-party may be a contract worker who is driving the work vehicle, or it may be another driver on the road who has no association with the accident victim’s place of employment.
Although most people think of work injuries as occurring at a person’s place of employment, motor vehicle accidents are a common cause of work injuries. Employees who are most at risk of being involved in a third-party worker motor vehicle accident include:
- Truck drivers
- Delivery drivers
- Sales representatives
- Home care workers
- Construction workers
Rights to Compensation
When a person is involved in a motor vehicle accident while performing work duties, they have a right to workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation benefits should be provided even if the employee is responsible for causing the accident. The exception to this coverage would be if the employee was participating in illegal activities (such as driving under the influence) at the time of the accident.
Workers’ compensation benefits typically provide coverage for the cost of any medical expenses, as well as lost wages due to time away from work while the employee recovers from the injuries.
In cases where a third-party is involved in the motor vehicle accident, and is found to be responsible for the accident, injury victims can seek additional compensation through a civil lawsuit.
A civil lawsuit against the third-party can ensure that accident victims are compensated for damages that are not covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Potential avenues of additional compensation include pain and suffering, physical damages, and other non-economic losses.
Cases involving workers’ compensation benefits and a civil lawsuit against a third-party can become complicated. However, our attorneys are experienced in handling complex cases such as these. They work hard to protect our clients’ rights so they can be compensated to the maximum extent of the law.
Learn More
If you have been injured in a workers’ motor vehicle accident involving a third-party and are unsure of your rights to financial compensation, it is important to work with experienced personal injury attorneys, such as those at Flickinger • Boulton • Robson • Weeks. Contact us at your earliest convenience to discuss the details of your case and learn more about your legal options.