If you were injured on the job at a construction site, you might require significant medical treatment. But who pays those bills? Is it your employer? Understanding how to receive compensation for your injuries after a construction accident in NYC is important for victims.
Your employer would be responsible for paying your medical bills after a construction accident in NYC if their negligence caused your injuries. Although workers may believe their only path to compensation is workers’ comp insurance, that’s not always the case. Suing a negligent employer or client after a construction accident can be the best way to receive compensation for your injuries. Filing on time is important, so consult with an attorney immediately after you are injured in a construction accident in NYC.
The Carrion Law Firm stands up for victims’ rights. Our attorneys can hold responsible parties accountable when you need your medical bills paid after a construction accident in NYC. To schedule a free case evaluation, call the NYC construction accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm today at (718) 841-0083.
Will My Employer Pay Medical Bills After a Construction Accident in NYC?
Most NYC businesses are required to carry adequate workers’ compensation coverage. This insurance covers the cost of medical bills and lost wages after an employee injury in NYC. However, some construction workers may not get full compensation through this system and may be able to hold their employer or client directly responsible for their injuries in a lawsuit.
If your injuries occurred under certain circumstances, you can sue your employer or client with the help of an experienced attorney, like the Brooklyn construction accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm.
Technically speaking, workers’ compensation rules usually block an injured worker’s ability to sue. However, their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance will usually be able to cover injuries, regardless of who caused the accident. In many cases, workers’ compensation does not cover pain and suffering, and certain exceptions might allow an injured construction worker to sue instead.
If the accident was caused by scaffolding, certain safety violations, falls, or dropped objects, you may be entitled to sue for those issues. In that kind of situation, you could open access to additional damages beyond medical expenses. You can also typically sue a third-party if they were liable, potentially holding them and your employer responsible for shared fault.
Why Might an Employer Not Pay Medical Bills After a Construction Accident in NYC?
Construction workers are at risk for work-related injuries because of the nature of their job. When injuries happen, it’s important to enlist the help of an Queens construction accident attorney. Sometimes an employer or client may refuse to compensate you for your injuries because a third party was at fault. However, if you were injured at a construction site because of your employer’s negligence, you have the right to compensation and can often include your employer on the lawsuit anyway.
Someone Else Is at Fault
Not all construction accidents are caused by an employer’s negligence alone. Another contractor’s negligence may have caused your injuries. Perhaps a negligent driver crashed into your roadside crew. Maybe the safety equipment or tools you were using had manufacturing defects. In such instances, your employer might not be the sole party responsible for your injuries and you could be entitled to sue a third party.
Workers’ compensation rules do not prevent injured construction workers from suing third-party entities for their injuries and medical bills. This means that, with the help of a Long Island construction injury attorney, you can file a lawsuit against whoever was responsible for your injuries.
There can also be situations where an employer and a third-party share responsibility for a construction accident. For example, a roadside crew might have been injured in a car crash because the driver was drunk, but if the employer did not have proper lighting and safety vests for the crew, both the driver and your employer could share fault. Talk to a Jamaica, Queens construction accident and injury lawyer about whether your injuries fall under an exception that allows you to sue a third party or an employer or both.
Worker Did Not Seek Medical Care
After sustaining an injury at your construction job, it is important to immediately seek medical attention. A doctor can assess your injuries and make records of your injuries. Having medical records of injuries can help document what happened and corroborate your later claims as to when and where the injury happened and how severe it was.
If you do not have documentation of your injury and when it happened, the defendant in your case will try to deny that it happened at work – or that it happened at all. These records also prove that your injury was severe and that it needed medical care immediately. If you do not seek medical attention, the defendant will claim that your injuries must not have been too severe if you didn’t even need to see a doctor.
This can become incredibly convoluted if your boss refused to let you leave the worksite to go to the doctor. Talk to an attorney immediately and seek medical care as soon as you are able to leave work.
Late Filing
Injured workers have three years from the date of injury to sue a responsible party in NYC. So, regardless of who is at fault for their injuries, independent contractors will only have three years to sue the responsible party for compensation. If you don’t file a lawsuit against the negligent party within three years, you may have difficulty getting your medical bills paid. It is important to consult with an attorney immediately after a construction accident in NYC so that you have the best chance at receiving compensation for your injuries.
Our Lawyers Can Help You Get Compensation for Medical Bills After a Construction Accident in NYC
Getting injured on the job can result in high medical bills, especially if you work in the construction industry. For a free case evaluation and to learn more about your options, call the Staten Island construction accident lawyers at The Carrion Law Firm today at (718) 841-0083.