No matter what kind of job you have, there is always the possibility of sustaining injuries while at work. Being injured while at work can leave you with expensive medical bills and leave you unable to earn a living. Our work injury lawyer in Islip is here to assist and can help you recover compensation for the losses you have suffered.
At Chaikin Trial Group Personal Injury Lawyers, our team has over 50 years of combined legal experience and will never compromise just to get a quick win. We promise to use every available resource and strategy at hand to secure a settlement that covers your losses.
Contact our offices today to speak to a personal injury lawyer in Islip.
Why You Need a Work Injury Lawyer
Managing the fallout of a work injury can throw your life into chaos, with medical bills and being unable to work. Workers’ compensation exists for injured employees, but the benefits may not be sufficient to cope with the extreme losses a serious injury can cause.
If your injuries were the result of someone’s negligence, an Islip work injury lawyer from our firm can help you file a lawsuit against them. Through a lawsuit, you may be able to recover a larger amount of compensation than workers’ compensation alone would allow.
We have managed several successful work injury claims for workers in a diverse range of industries. Let us help you find the security and stability necessary to recover from a serious work injury.
Case Today (212) 977-2020
Common Types of Work Injuries
Below is a list of some of the most common types of workplace injuries that we have encountered in our practice:
- Falls: Slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents are very common in workplaces, especially for those who work at heights, such as construction workers and roofers.
- Collisions with objects: Falling or moving objects on the worksite, like store merchandise or heavy equipment, can collide with workers and cause injuries.
- Auto collisions: Workers who drive for a living face risks from traffic collisions and other types of accidents.
- Repetitive stress injuries: Workers can also develop repetitive strain injuries from performing routine or rote tasks, such as typing.
- Workplace violence: Violent altercations in the workplace, whether between coworkers or between an employee and a non-employee, are another possible cause of workplace injuries.
You Can File a Third-Party Lawsuit Against Negligent Parties
Most workers in New York are entitled to file for workers’ compensation benefits after suffering a work injury. However, workers’ compensation only replaces a portion of your regular income and won’t cover many of the losses associated with injuries, like pain and suffering. As such, it may be insufficient to pay for your loss on its own.
However, if your injuries were caused by a third party who was not your employer, you can file a third-party lawsuit against them.
Potentially liable parties could include:
- Negligent contractors or subcontractors
- Property owners or managers
- Defective equipment manufacturers
- Negligent motorists
For instance, say you were at work on a construction site and were injured by defective machinery. You could potentially file a third-party product liability lawsuit against the manufacturer for your losses.
Compensation You Can Recover in a Third-Party Work Injury Lawsuit
The main benefit of a third-party lawsuit for a work injury is that you can sue for a much wider range of losses than workers’ compensation will cover.
Compensable losses may include:
- Emergency medical bills and continuing medical expenses
- The value of lost work income and other lost employment compensation due to missing work
- Permanent reductions in your lifetime earning potential due to disability or impairment
- Pain and suffering, mental anguish, and emotional distress
- Inconvenience and lower quality of life from scarring and disfigurement
Can I Sue My Employer in Islip?
New York’s workers’ compensation laws generally make it so you cannot sue your direct employer for work injuries due to negligence. The trade-off for no-fault workers’ compensation coverage is that employers are generally immune from these kinds of lawsuits.
But there are a few exceptions: If your employer intentionally harmed you or doesn’t have workers’ compensation insurance, you may be able to take legal action against them.
Workers in certain industries, such as construction workers, also have additional protections allowing them to sue their employers in certain circumstances. A work accident lawyer in Islip can review your case to determine whether you have a legal claim against your employer.
Contact an Islip Work Injury Lawyer Today
According to NY CPLR 214(5), you have a maximum of three years to file a third-party work injury lawsuit, so we recommend starting as early as possible. A lawyer for a work injury can initiate proceedings promptly and significantly reduce the risk of payment delays or denials.
Contact Chaikin Trial Group Injury Lawyers online or reach out by phone to speak to an Islip work injury lawyer about your case. Consultations are free, and we don’t take a fee unless we win, so don’t hesitate to get in touch.