Workers' Compensation vs. Injury Claims
Most Tennessee employees injured on the job can receive workers' compensation regardless of fault, but those benefits are limited and do not include pain and suffering. When someone other than your employer — such as a negligent contractor, equipment manufacturer, or driver — contributed to your injury, you may have a separate third-party claim that can recover much more.
Common Workplace Injuries
Falls from heights, being struck by equipment or falling objects, machinery accidents, electrocutions, repetitive stress injuries, and vehicle crashes during work all injure Tennessee workers. Construction and warehouse settings carry especially high risk.
Third-Party Liability
If a defective machine, a subcontractor's negligence, or a careless driver caused your work injury, a third-party claim can recover damages workers' comp does not, including full lost earnings and pain and suffering. Identifying these claims requires a careful look at everyone involved in the accident.
Protecting Your Rights
Report the injury promptly, follow medical advice, and be cautious about statements to insurers. An attorney can coordinate your workers' comp benefits with any third-party claim and ensure deadlines — including Tennessee's one-year limit for injury lawsuits — are met.
Injured in Tennessee? Get a free, confidential case review today. There's no obligation, and you pay no fee unless you win. Call 973-566-5599.
Frequently Asked Questions
Possibly. Workers' comp bars most claims against your employer, but if a third party (like a contractor, manufacturer, or driver) caused your injury, you may have a separate claim for greater compensation.
Unlike workers' comp, a third-party claim can recover full lost earnings and pain and suffering, not just limited statutory benefits.
Report it promptly, get medical care, document what happened, and consult an attorney to protect both your comp benefits and any third-party claim.
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Tennessee attorney. Injury Claim Team is a legal referral service, not a law firm.