Employees can suffer injuries in workplace accidents or other situations, and depending on the severity of an injury, they may require extensive and costly medical treatment, they may be temporarily unable to work while recovering, and they may suffer permanent disabilities.

In most work injury cases, workers’ compensation benefits are available, no matter whether the employer or employee was responsible for a workplace accident. However, there are some situations where other parties may have been at fault for an accident or injury. In these cases, injured workers may be able to pursue additional compensation from these parties by filing a personal injury lawsuit.

When addressing the effects of a workplace injury, a person can work with an attorney to make sure they fully understand the forms of compensation that may be available. At the Law Office of Shane R. Kadlec, we have extensive experience in matters involving serious injuries, including non-subscriber work injury cases where an employer does not have workers’ compensation insurance. 

Attorney Kadlec, our firm’s founder, has been working in this field for over 25 years, and with his record of success representing injury victims, he can ensure that all issues related to a workplace injury will be addressed correctly.

Pursuing Compensation From Third Parties Responsible for a Workplace Injury

All work injury cases will involve two parties: the injured worker and their employer. When filing a workers’ compensation claim, a person will not need to establish whether either of these parties was at fault, and they can receive benefits that will cover the costs of medical treatment and a percentage of the income lost while recovering from their injuries or because of permanent disabilities.

If any other parties were responsible for an injury, a victim can pursue additional compensation from these parties. The compensation available in these types of lawsuits may exceed what is available through workers’ compensation. A victim may be able to recover the full amount of income they have lost, as well as compensation for their pain and suffering.

There are multiple situations where third parties may be held liable for workplace accidents and injuries. These parties may include:

  • Negligent drivers: If a person is injured in a car accident while working, they may be able to take legal action against the driver who was at fault for the collision.
  • Subcontractors: Construction accidents may occur because parties involved in work at a construction site acted negligently. Subcontractors hired to perform certain types of work may cause injuries due to the failure to follow the correct safety procedures, negligent operation of construction equipment, or other actions that put people working on a construction site at risk.
  • Product manufacturers: Workers may be injured by defective tools and equipment, including ladders, scaffolds, power tools, landscaping tools, construction equipment, or materials. In these cases, a person may be able to pursue a product liability lawsuit against a product manufacturer or distributor or a person or company that failed to ensure that equipment was properly maintained.
  • Property owners: When injuries occur while a worker is on someone else’s property, they may be able to pursue a premises liability lawsuit against the property owner. For example, an employee of a gas or electric company may seek compensation for a slip and fall accident or dog bite injury that occurred when they were visiting a private residence to perform maintenance.

Third Party Work Injuries FAQs

Answer: In addition to workers’ compensation benefits, which cover medical expenses and a portion of lost wages, injured workers may pursue a personal injury claim against third parties to recover full income losses, pain and suffering, and other damages not covered by the workers’ compensation system.

Answer: If someone other than your employer or coworker (such as a negligent driver, subcontractor, manufacturer, or property owner) contributed to your injury, you can file a third‑party personal injury lawsuit to seek additional compensation beyond what workers’ compensation provides.

Answer: Liable third parties can include drivers at fault in work‑related vehicle accidents, subcontractors who fail to follow safety protocols on a jobsite, manufacturers of defective tools or equipment, and property owners responsible for hazardous conditions on their premises.

Answer: Through a third‑party lawsuit, you can pursue compensation for all past and future medical expenses, full wage loss, diminished earning capacity, and non‑economic damages such as pain, suffering, and emotional distress.

Answer: In non‑subscriber cases, you can bypass the workers’ compensation system altogether and sue your uninsured employer directly for negligence, potentially recovering a broader range of damages than under the workers’ compensation scheme.

Answer: We handle third‑party workplace injury claims throughout the Greater Houston region, including Harris, Fort Bend, Montgomery, Brazoria, Galveston, Chambers, Liberty, Waller, Katy, The Woodlands, and surrounding communities.

Contact Our Houston Workplace Injury Attorney for Third-Party Claims

Following a workplace accident or work-related injury, our firm can help you identify all liable parties, and we will advise you on the best steps to take to ensure that you will be fully compensated for the damages you have suffered. Contact our office by calling 281-643-2000 to arrange your free consultation.

We provide legal help with workplace injuries in Sugar Land, Memorial, Harris County, Waller County, Bellaire, Brazoria County, The Woodlands, Fort Bend County, West Houston, Houston, Katy, Pearland, Montgomery County, Liberty County, Chambers County, the Gulf Coast, and Galveston County.