Like many Texas workers, you may be under the impression that, if you are injured on the job, you have no recourse but to collect damages under the state workers’ compensation system. What this means is that your employer has chosen to “opt in” to the state insurance fund, and if you are hurt in an accident, the best you can hope for is weekly payments that cover most of your medical bills and time off from work—and you will be legally barred from suing your employer in civil court.
There is an important exception, though. If you can show that a third a third party—not your employer—caused your workplace injury, you have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against that company or individual and recover your damages in full. This is an especially pertinent loophole if you happen to work in construction, where on any given day, various subcontractors are working at any given building site; if you're a bricklayer, and you have been injured by an electrician employed by another company, you can sue that company for damages. (In fact, you'll have no choice but to sue that company, since your employer will not want to cover your injury under its workers’ comp policy!)
How can you determine that your work injury was caused by a third party, and not by one of your underlings, coworkers or managers? Here's where things get a bit tricky, and where it's a good idea to hire an experienced Texas work injury attorney who can investigate the circumstances of your accident and determine who was responsible. Intrigued? Call Jim Zadeh today at 888-713-5418 to find out what he can do for you!