Regardless of the type of job you have, it is up to your employer to ensure that the environment in which you work is safe, especially at construction sites where workplace hazards threaten to cause injuries on a daily basis. In some cases, injuries sustained by a construction worker in Oklahoma may be covered by …
Regardless of the type of job you have, it is up to your employer to ensure that the environment in which you work is safe, especially at construction sites where workplace hazards threaten to cause injuries on a daily basis. In some cases, injuries sustained by a construction worker in Oklahoma may be covered by his or her employer’s workers’ compensation insurance, although the benefits awarded for workers’ compensation claims are notoriously lower than those typically awarded for personal injury lawsuits. Construction workers injured on the job, however, may have an opportunity to collect additional compensation by also filing a work injury lawsuit against the person or party responsible for their injuries. If you have been injured on a construction site, contact our personal injury attorneys to discuss your compensation options.
Workers’ Compensation for On-The-Job Injuries
Construction workers face a variety of hazards each time they set foot at the work site, and they deserve to feel confident that, if a devastating accident were to occur, they would be protected by workers’ compensation benefits. Just a few examples of accidents that can occur at construction sites include electrocution, falls from scaffolding, and heavy machinery accidents, which can lead to major injuries like traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, neck injuries, fractures and amputation. Fortunately, Oklahoma workers’ compensation laws were specifically established to protect injured workers against adverse consequences, including job loss, demotion and lost wages, and to provide benefits for injuries, medical bills and pain and suffering. However, workers’ compensation claims typically offer injured workers a lower amount of compensation than would a personal injury lawsuit filed against the negligent party.
Third-Party Liability Claims
In some cases, construction workers may have grounds to file a third-party liability claim to collect additional compensation from the person or party who is found negligent. Third-party liability claims can involve contractors or subcontractors, architects or engineers, heavy equipment operators, or manufacturers of defective safety equipment, tools, machinery or materials, if it is determined that their negligence caused the worker’s injuries. When a third party is involved in a worker’s on-the-job injury, a separate third-party claim can be filed for compensation in addition to a workers’ compensation claim.
Contact an Oklahoma Work Injury Attorney Today
It is natural for employees injured at work to express concern about how their injuries might affect their job security. However, workers should rest assured that it is against the law in Oklahoma for employers to retaliate against an employee for filing a workers’ compensation claim or filing a third-party liability claim for a workplace injury, and it is also unlawful for OK employers to discriminate against an employee on the basis of disability. If you have suffered an on-the-job injury in Oklahoma, your first course of action should be to contact an Oklahoma personal injury attorney to explore your compensation options. With the help of an experienced personal injury lawyer, you can determine whether you are eligible to file a third-party liability claim or only a workers’ compensation claim for your injuries.