Workplace Injuries & Third Party Claims in Orange County
Many Californians are injured on the job each day. If you are one of the thousands of Southern California employees injured while working, you might believe that only your employer is to blame and hope that if you sue, you can recover enough money from you employer to pay the bills associated with your injuries. This is not an uncommon belief and often it is because your workers comp lawyer has led you to believe that the only party you can sue is your employer; which may not actually be the case. You might have been injured as a result of a third party’s neligence and you might be able to seek money for your injuries from an additional source.
At Russell & Lazarus, our skilled Orange County workers comp lawyers excel at job injury cases that involve third parties. Whereas the typical workers’ compensation claim in Orange County involves two parties — the injured employee (you) and the employer (your boss), some cases involve a third party. These third parties are not directly employed by your So Cal employer and can often be delivery drivers, vendors, subcontractors, or any entity other than your employer. If you are injured as a result of a third party’s negligence or carelessness, you might be able to bring a separate claim against that person or business.
As you or your loved one may be learning the hard way, workers’ compensation insurance coverage in California rarely provides enough benefits for employees injured on the job. Unfortunately, recent changes in California laws governing the workers’ compensation system have restricted the types and extent of benefits available to work accident victims. This means that by pursuing a third-party claim, you might be able to receive added compensation for your workplace injuries.
Do you have a potential personal injury claim to bring against a third party? Talk to an experienced workers comp lawyer in Orange County to find out more. But for example, a third-party case might exist where you are injured on the job due to a defective product (such as a machine or a tool). While you might be able to receive benefits from your California employer’s workers comp insurance, these benefits are likely not all of the financial compensation you deserve. By pursuing a products liability lawsuit against the manufacturer or supplier of the defective product, you can recover additional damages for the injuries you suffered while on the job. While pursuing the third-party claim, the employee may still receive benefits through his employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
In serious Orange County workplace injury cases, third-party financial recovery is often greater than the benefits an injured worker receives under the workers’ compensation system. In a third-party personal injury lawsuit, you or your loved one can seek to recover past and future medical expenses, loss of earnings, loss of future earning capacity, property damage, and compensation for pain and suffering — damages that are not completely covered by workers’ compensation claims. As with most lawsuits, there is a statute of limitations that states you cannot wait too long to bring a third party claim or you risk not be able to bring the lawsuit, thereby giving up your chance to recover money for your injuries.
If you or a loved one was injured while on the job, talk to a knowledgable workers comp lawyer in Orange County about a potential third party claim today. The Orange County workplace injury lawyers at Russell & Lazarus have been fighting for the rights of injured employees for decades and offer a no-obligation consultation about your case.