If you were hurt on the job in Alabama, your first thought was probably workers’ compensation. It makes sense. Workers’ comp is what most people know. But for many injured workers, especially those with catastrophic or life-changing injuries, workers’ comp isn’t the whole story. In some cases, it’s not even the right story.
Depending on what caused your injury and who was responsible, you may have the right to file a lawsuit against a third party — meaning someone other than your employer. That claim operates completely outside the workers’ comp system and can recover far more: full lost wages, pain and suffering, and the mental anguish of a life permanently altered.
At Taylor Martino Rowan, we handle exactly these cases. Not workers’ comp claims. Lawsuits against the contractors, manufacturers, property owners, and other parties whose negligence caused catastrophic harm.
If you were hurt at work in Alabama, here’s what you need to know.
Workers’ compensation provides basic benefits when an employee is hurt on the job, typically medical expenses and a portion of lost wages. It’s a no-fault system run through your employer’s insurance, and what it pays out is limited by policy, not by what you actually lost.
For workers with serious injuries, that gap can be significant. And it’s exactly why a third-party workplace injury lawsuit can change everything.
Workers’ compensation is a claim against your employer’s insurance. It’s a no-fault system, which means you don’t have to prove anyone did anything wrong. What it pays out is limited — typically a percentage of your wages over a set period, with no recovery for pain and suffering or mental anguish. For workers with serious injuries, that gap can be significant.
A third-party lawsuit is a direct claim against whoever actually caused the harm, not your employer, but the contractor who cut corners, the manufacturer whose equipment failed, the property owner who let a dangerous condition go unaddressed. It requires proving fault, but it can recover everything you’ve actually lost: permanent injuries, full lost wages, pain and suffering, and the mental anguish of a life forever changed.
This is the type of case Taylor Martino Rowan handles.
Third-party workplace injury claims come up in situations like these:
A defective forklift with a brake failure runs over a worker. A scaffolding system loses structural integrity and collapses, causing death or serious injuries to everyone on it. A piece of industrial machinery malfunctions and entangles an arm or leg, resulting in the loss of an appendage.
The cause of the injury traces back to someone outside the employer-employee relationship — and that’s where a third-party lawsuit comes in.
Other common responsible parties include:
Sometimes, yes. Receiving workers’ compensation benefits doesn’t automatically prevent you from filing a third-party lawsuit. The two claims are separate processes. One runs through your employer’s insurance, the other is a direct lawsuit against the negligent party.
If you’ve already filed a workers’ comp claim, it’s still worth finding out whether a third-party claim exists. You may be owed significantly more than workers’ comp will ever pay
You may not know without talking to an attorney. But these are good questions to start with:
If you answered yes to any of these, there’s a reasonable chance a third party bears responsibility for what happened to you.
Most injured workers don’t hear this until it’s too late: catastrophic workplace injuries and deaths should always be investigated by an experienced law firm before any claims are settled or signed away. Evidence disappears, witnesses move on, and equipment gets repaired or replaced before anyone thinks to preserve it.
If you or someone you love has suffered a serious or fatal workplace injury in Alabama, talk to an attorney before making any decisions.
Taylor Martino Rowan represents seriously injured workers and the families of those killed on the job across Alabama and Mississippi, including Mobile and Baldwin County. A free consultation costs nothing and could change everything.
If someone else’s negligence put you out of work or took someone you love, let’s talk about what you’re owed. Contact our team today for a free consultation.
