Work Injury Lawyers in Cleveland

Cleveland Workplace Accident Injury Attorneys

If you were injured on the job in Ohio, you have likely started dealing with the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). In fact, you may already realize that the amount of benefits you receive while recovering from your injury is inadequate to cover the full cost of out-of-pocket medical expenses, as well as costs associated with traveling to treatment and reduced income from lost wages and earnings.

Under Ohio’s BWC rules, you cannot typically sue your employer for the additional compensation you need unless you are able to prove gross negligence. However, there is often a third party that may be held liable for additional monetary damages. This third party may include a careless subcontractor on-site, the manufacturer of defective work equipment, or a negligent property owner. Our workplace accident attorneys at Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP can answer your personal injury law questions and help you.

Contact our firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.

Experienced in a Variety of Work Injury Cases

We have experience representing clients in all types of workplace injury and wrongful death claims, such as:

• Construction accidents, including those that involve subcontractor negligence and contractor liability
• Warehouse and factory injuries
• Forklift accidents
• Work vehicle accidents, such as loading dock and delivery truck injuries
• Exposure to toxic chemicals or fumes

Contact one of our experienced work accident lawyers about your on-the-job injury. Over our years in practice, we have recovered more than $1 billion in verdicts and settlements for our clients. We offer a no-cost consultation to evaluate your case and don't collect our fees unless we help you recover compensation.

Can You Bring a Civil Lawsuit Against Your Employer for Injuries?

Ohio’s workers’ compensation structure is a no-fault system, meaning an injured party cannot typically sue their employer, as they will receive benefits regardless of who was at fault for the injury. Any employer who carries workers’ comp insurance is also protected from lawsuits from their employers under this system. There are, however, limited exceptions to this with an “intentional tort.”

This occurs when there is a deliberate action from the employer to cause injury, remove safety precautions, intentionally misrepresent a hazard, or otherwise act in a way that was “substantially certain” to cause harm to a worker in their normal course of duty. While these cases can be difficult to prove, they may result in an additional compensation award through a violation of a specific safety requirement, or VSSR, claim.

Third party vendors, manufacturers, or other negligent individuals or companies are not bound by the no-fault nature of workers’ comp, however. Our Cleveland workplace injury lawyers can help you bring a civil lawsuit against these third parties to seek compensation. Any monetary awards received in a third-party claim will not affect workers’ compensation awards, meaning you can seek additional damages for your pain and suffering, mental distress, and other injuries caused by a third party while you were on the job.

These claims can include injuries due to:

• Defective products or machinery
• Slip and falls on private property while on the job
• Assaults on workers
• Subcontractors on construction sites

Complex Work Injury Claims: Our Cleveland Lawyers Can Help

You won't know if you have a legitimate claim for a third-party lawsuit unless you speak with an experienced workplace injury attorney. Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP’s trial lawyers have protected the rights of injured workers in Ohio since we opened our law firm doors 70 years ago. We are selective in the cases we handle and take a sophisticated approach to the complex evidence and issues that are part of every third-party liability workplace injury claim.

In a legal environment where everyone is fighting to protect his or her best interests, we prepare the evidence carefully and concisely. When our experienced job accident attorneys negotiate a settlement with the insurance company for damages, we leave no room for doubt that your case has the merit to take to trial if the negligent party or insurance company doesn't offer a fair settlement.

Collaborating with Ohio Workers' Comp Attorneys for Your Benefit

We are not a workers' compensation law firm, but we can help you find an Ohio workers’ comp attorney and work with that attorney to fight for every dollar of compensation you need and deserve.

Call Spangenberg Shibley & Liber LLP now at (216) 600-0114 to begin with a free consultation to discuss what happened to you during your work accident.