Amputation injuries may lead to third-party liability claims | Weddell & Haller, P.C.
On behalf of Weddell & Haller, P.C. posted in Construction Workers' Accidents on Monday, February 16, 2015.
In Colorado, contractors are not necessarily covered by the workers' compensation of the company using their services. For a contractor to be independent, he or she will have to meet certain requirements and will not be entitled to workers' compensation provided by the contracting company. Construction companies often make use of independent contractors to provide specialist services. However, if contractors suffer injuries in workplace accidents on construction sites, it may give rise to third-party liability claims. In addition, the contractor may pursue a claim workers' compensation from the independent contracting company that employed him or her.
A contractor who lost three fingers in a workplace accident on the site of a house under construction filed a lawsuit against the construction company and other defendants. The contractor claims that she was working on installing wood flooring in an unsafe area when a disruption in electricity resulted in her suffering severe injuries. She asserts that the saw jerked when the power failed while she was operating a table saw, causing instant darkness and the severing of her fingers.
The contractor claims that the defendants provided an unsafe workplace, and allowed defective conditions to prevail under inadequate supervision. She claims to have suffered high levels of pain and medical expenses, along with permanent impairment that has limited her income ability and life enjoyment. The amount of damages sought was not disclosed.
According to workers' compensation laws, Colorado employees typically cannot sue their employers for workplace injuries. However, third-party liability claims may be viable against others parties deemed to have negligently caused or contributed to the accident. Injured workers often utilize the services of an experienced workers' compensation attorney to evaluate the circumstances of a workplace accident and pursue recovery options related to third-party claims and workers' compensation claims.