In Suffolk, Virginia (VA) a road worker was hurt while working on I-664 southbound. The accident happened in a private contracting company’s work zone near the Monitor Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel when a work truck backed into a 48-year-old male worker. As Virginia personal injury attorneys we get questions from victims who are injured on the job and wonder if they have a personal injury claim.
The worker would be entitled to Worker’s Compensation for an on-the-job accident such as this one. But the question often asked is whether there is the right to sue a different company under negligence law where you can obtain a jury trial and damages for the injuries you suffer that are not limited as they are under workers compensation. If the accident was caused by negligence of a third-party besides your own employer, or because of a faulty product on the job, a personal injury lawyer with Shapiro & Appleton can investigate what is called a third-party negligence action, with a jury trial.
So if the contractor who backed over the victim worked for a separate company the victim may very well have a personal injury claim. It is important to contact a personal injury lawyer who is familiar with third party injury claims. Since the injured man is older recovering from his traumatic injuries may take longer and he may need a higher level of care than Worker’s Compensation will pay for.
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