Can I Sue My Employer if I Was Injured at Work?

If you were injured in aworkplace accident, you may be wondering who is responsible for providing you with compensation for the medical expenses that you have incurred and the earnings that you have lost. While Oregon law requires virtually all employers to purchase workers’ compensation insurance on behalf of their employees, it is also true that you may be entitled to more; however, it is important to understand that you would be prohibited from bringing suit against your employer if you have accepted workers’ compensation benefits.

Since they will be the ones responsible for compensating you for the financial losses that you have suffered, your employer would be shielded from any type of civil litigation. Fortunately, they may not be the only ones to blame for your accident. If you were injured after falling off of a defective ladder, for example, you may be able to pursue damages from the negligent manufacturer. This is known as a “third party claim,” and can be filed concurrent to your workers’ compensation claim—which means that you may be able to recover damages not covered by workman’s comp.

Unlike a workers’ compensation claim, however, you must be able to prove that a third party’s negligence has directly contributed to your injuries. This can be difficult to do without the help of aPortland personal injury lawyer, so the experienced legal team at the Law Offices of Timothy Grabe encourages you to consult our firm before moving forward with your case. When youcontact our firm at 971-645-7176 or submit acomplimentary case evaluation form online, our advice won’t cost you a thing. For this reason, there should be nothing stopping you from taking the first step today.