What if a third party contributes to a construction site accident?
What third parties may be liable for a construction accident?
If you file for workers’ compensation, you may still be able to file a lawsuit against a third party that is responsible for your accident. Parties who may contribute to an accident through their negligence include:
- The general contractor—The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states that general contractors are responsible for maintaining safety compliance on their job site. If improper maintenance, labeling or other safety precautions causes an accident, they can be held responsible.
- Subcontractors—Subcontractors can be responsible for a wide variety of different tasks on a work site, including installing scaffolding and creating specific systems in a structure.
- Manufacturers—Faulty products can be especially dangerous on construction sites. Materials may break or splinter. Tools can break, fail to turn on or off properly and even explode. Safety equipment that does not meet standards may fail to protect you in an accident. Lawsuits against manufacturers hold them responsible for these faulty products.
- Trucking companies or individuals—Many construction workers need to drive as a part of their work, and a car accident can cause serious injury. A third party lawsuit can hold drivers or commercial vehicle carriers responsible for their part in the crash.
By bringing a third-party lawsuit against liable people or companies, injured workers can receive workers compensation, get the additional financial support they need during a difficult time and hold others responsible for their actions.
