You Can Sometimes Get Additional Compensation Beyond Workers’ Comp
Corbin Sutter
Workers’ Compensation
Anyone who works in Venice, Punta Gorda, or Sarasota knows that if you are injured on the job and need to take some time off to get treated and recover, you’ve got help. Workers’ compensation, or “workers’ comp,” is a form of financial assistance to help people get back on their feet if they’ve been injured through no fault of their own while on the job.However, while workers comp’ is the most common form of financial help, it’s not the only one. In some cases, people hurt while on the job may have been injured through less straightforward or conventional means. Depending on the circumstances, they can sometimes seek additional compensation based on what happened.
Toxic Contamination
Known sometimes as a “toxic tort,” this is additional compensation that injury victims can receive if an illness or other medical condition is contracted due to exposure to toxic substances. If there are harmful substances on a property, and the property owner does not make visitors or workers aware of the risk, then it’s possible to seek compensation if medical issues arise from that.
Asbestos is a classic example of toxic exposure. It was once a popular material for fireproofing buildings and was used extensively in early 20th century residential and commercial construction. Now, however, after decades of medical research and treatment, it’s known that asbestos is carcinogenic, that is, a substance known to cause cancer with enough exposure.
Legal action based on exposure to toxic substances is something that can be pursued in addition to receiving workers’ comp. This is because the cause of the medical condition goes beyond a one-time risk and poses a constant threat to everyone.
Third-Party Injuries
Sometimes an accident occurs on the job, but they are a result of an indirect cause related to the job. Premises liability is a legal situation where the owner or managers of a property must take reasonable precautions to ensure a safe environment for visitors and employees. Failure to do means the negligent action is open to a premises liability lawsuit.
For workers, this can sometimes mean injuries on the job take place while working, but not at the workplace. A courier, for example, that needs to deliver a package to an auto repair garage may slip and fall on a puddle of motor oil left on the floor for hours. In such a situation, the motor oil presented an injury risk to everyone and should have been cleaned up quickly. If a worker from another company is injured by this negligence while on businesses to a property, that exposes the property owner and manager to premises liability. There was an unsafe situation that people on the premises deliberately ignored, and an injury resulted from ignoring that risk.
If you're in the Fort Meyers, Sarasota, or Port Charlotte region of Florida, and you've been hurt at work through less conventional circumstances, you may be entitled to additional financial support aside from workers’ comp. Talk to an experienced workplace injury lawyer about what happened to you and see what kind of legal situation you’re in.