Construction workers who live and work in the greater Saint Louis area know that they are risking their lives and health each day they go on the job.
Work sites of any sort are dangerous, and construction workers are prone to injuries from falls, heavy equipment, collapses or falling objects, dangerous machinery and other hazards. Traffic-related accidents are also a common hazard.
Many of these workers are eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits under Missouri law. Basically, these benefits will cover reasonable medical bills and will also cover up to two-thirds of a construction worker’s gross wages while she recovers from an injury.
An eligible should naturally consider applying for these benefits, as every dollar is helpful to a victim of an injury. However, these benefits do not always pay for everything.
In particular, workers’ compensation does not account for the fact that victims often suffer non-economic losses as well, losses like pain and suffering or emotional distress. While these non-economic losses are difficult to put a hard number on, they are nonetheless real.
Fortunately, after a construction accident, workers may have other legal options depending on their circumstances.
For example, if someone other than an employer is responsible for the accident, then the worker may be able to file what is called a third party claim against the responsible party.
Third party claims are particularly common with respect to construction accidents. For instance, after a traffic accident with someone passing through a construction zone, a worker may be able to sue the negligent driver.
Likewise, many people and businesses are involved at major construction sites, and any one of them could act carelessly and cause a work-related accident.