Bulldozer Accidents and Job Site Injuries
Construction job sites are often busy and dangerous working environments, injuring hundreds of people each year and causing thousands of deaths. Heavy equipment can cause devastating, disfiguring injuries with lifelong consequences. If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a bulldozer accident or an accident from other heavy equipment at a job site, the consequences can be devastating. You are entitled to seek compensation for losses related to a heavy equipment accident.
Workers’ Compensation for Job Site Injuries
In the event of an accident on the job, your employer’s liability is protected by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission, which limits your compensation to taking care of medical bills related to the accident and weekly payments instead of your salary while you are unable to work. These amounts are set by the VWCC and are based on the extent of your injuries.
Your employer pays into Virginia’s workers’ compensation fund in case of these types of accidents. When you or a loved one has been hurt in an industrial accident, rehabilitation and recovery can be lengthy; you may be out of work for weeks, months, or even years. Workers’ compensation can be of some help, but this compensation can be far short of what you were making before you were injured, leaving a gap that can be difficult for you and your family to handle, especially if you are unable to work for a long time.
When someone or something that is not part of your company is to blame for your accident, they can be held liable for your injuries and sued in a third-party claim, allowing you to recover additional money that can help close the gap.
Third Parties and Workplace Injuries
While workers’ compensation covers the company you work for and its employees, there are often “third parties' on a job site. Many job sites are not exclusively staffed by your company’s employees. Other workers at the site are third-party contractors. Equipment and parts are often on loan from a third-party company. Some or all of these entities could be partially or fully responsible for the circumstances that led to your accident. Even a property owner or a parts or equipment manufacturer could be considered partly or fully to blame legally.
Third-party lawsuits are similar to other personal injury lawsuits:
- Liability: You must be able to prove that the third party is at fault for the accident.
- Damages: If your case is successful and you prove the third party is at fault, you can recover monetary damages to compensate for your loss.
- Settlement: Legal representatives for the third party may try to settle out of court; others may hope to win before a judge.
Virginia Construction Accident Lawyer
If you believe a third-party claim can be filed related to your bulldozer accident, working with an experienced Virginia personal injury lawyer is crucial to the success of your case, recovering as much in damages as you deserve. They will know how to gather all the evidence needed to prove third-party liability, assess a fair amount of damages based on your injury and all of your losses related to the accident, negotiate with insurance companies and lawyers for the third party, and, if needed, fight aggressively for you in court.
If a third party is liable for your accident, your company’s law firm may also go after them in court. An experienced Virginia personal injury lawyer will know how to work with your company’s firm to bring the third party to justice. They can also help with aspects of your workers’ compensation claim to ensure all your bills are being taken care of and that you get all the treatment and rehabilitation you need to recover from your injuries properly.
The money you can get from a third-party claim can be much more substantial than from worker’s compensation. You are entitled to seek this compensation under Virginia law when you are injured due to someone else’s negligent actions.