Workplace Injury/Third Party Lawsuits
When a worker is injured by a negligent third party while performing his job, his right to recover fair compensation is not limited to workers compensation benefits. (See "Worker's Compensation Law" for an explanation of those benefits.)
While workers’ compensation benefits are limited and do not provide compensation for many kinds of losses, other civil remedies may be available where someone other than one's employer has negligently caused the injury. This is known as a third party lawsuit and a civil court claim may exist for such an injury.
For example, if a person was making a delivery as a part of his job and an eighteen wheel truck owned and operated by someone other than his employer ran a red light and injured the worker in the ensuing crash, a civil claim against the driver of the truck exists. Other examples of third party lawsuits include injuries caused by defectively designed or manufactured machines or products, dangerous conditions of land or premises, and toxic chemical exposure.
