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Fall accidents at work are one of the most common types of work injuries in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania. What most injured workers don’t know is that they are often entitled to seek financial compensation outside of workers’ comp benefits.
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Legal Rights Against Non-Employer Parties for a Fall Accident at Work
Under NJ and PA law, employees injured in work accidents are usually barred from pursuing lawsuits against employers. Under workers’ comp laws of both states, an injured worker’s only legal recourse against the employer for a work accident is a workers’ comp claim. There are some limited exceptions to this rule per NJ and PA law. However, the exceptions will not be discussed here. Speak to a work injury lawyer if you have questions about suing an employer for a work injury.
However, it’s often the case that a non-employer party can be held liable for negligence that caused a fall accident at work. This is important because most injured workers assume that their only legal recourse is a workers’ comp claim. This is true, but only as it pertains to the employer. Other parties can be held liable including contractors, subcontractors, property owners, property management companies, etc. Below is an example of liability of non-employer parties in a common workplace fall accident scenario.
Office Worker Falls at Work
An office worker is walking into an office building for work and stumbles on the sidewalk just before they enter the building. The worker trips over a metal pipe protruding from the sidewalk, adjacent to the front of the building. Over the weekend, the sidewalk had been redone by a contractor who had neglected to cut the pipe so that it would be level with the sidewalk. Because of the negligent conduct of the contractor, the injured worker would be able to pursue a lawsuit against the contractor to recover for their injuries and damages like medical bills, lost wages, etc. This would be in addition to a workers’ comp claim.
This type of fall accident can also occur in a factory, hospital, large office building, etc. In addition, falls often occur in a variety of areas and locations including parking lots, walkways, break rooms or lunch rooms, stairways, and restrooms. The reality is that office buildings are seldom owned and operated solely by a single employer. Property management contractors, maintenance contractors and/or safety management contractors are just some of the parties which may be held liable for a fall accident at work.
While the above example applies to an office worker, the same principles apply to fall accidents at different kinds of workplaces, like construction sites or warehouses. For example, a worker who falls from a roof on a construction site may have a valid legal claim against a subcontractor like a roofing contractor.
The key is having the case reviewed by an experienced work injury lawyer who knows the right documents to request and the right questions to ask. Contact our law firm for a free consultation. We have offices throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey including Philadelphia, Cherry Hill and Iselin. (866) 641-0806 (PA) or Click To Call (NJ).
**This website does not provide legal advice. Every case is unique and it is crucial to get a qualified, expert legal opinion prior to making any decisions about your case. See the full disclaimer at the bottom of this page.
