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How many times have we heard that “you only get one chance in life” or “you only get one bite of the apple?”
We have been told this countless times. In an on-the-job injury those adages may not be quite true.
A worker cannot sue his/her employer. Our workman’s compensation statute provides the employer with immunity from a tort suit. See Massachusetts General Laws chapter 152. That is the trade off for receiving workman’s compensation benefits. The employee gets a portion of his/her lost wages, his/her medical bills paid for, but receives nothing for pain and suffering. On the other hand, there is no requirement to prove negligence to receive this limited compensation.
Let’s revisit our notion of second chance or second bite. Maybe it is not really a second chance, but there is an additional avenue for compensation: if the employee’s accident was caused by the negligence of someone, not the employer, then a third-party suit is permitted. We do see this in construction cases, in cases where the employee is a delivery person, or where the employee is in an auto accident while on the job. A personal injury lawsuit can be brought for damages, including pain and suffering, in addition to the worker’s compensation claim. The American worker gets a rare break.
Feinberg & Alban, P.C. fervently protects your rights
Client Reviews
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5.0/5.0Colleen and Robert were very responsive during a long process, always ready to answer our questions. They exhibited that much-needed combination of listening to us as clients and guiding us with their expertise, through all the delays and obstacles e...
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5.0/5.0
Attorney Colleen Santora was amazing! I was hit by a car, completely overwhelmed and really just needed to focus on getting better. Retaining her, truly gave me peace of mind that all of the upcoming medical bills would be taken care of. I healed ...
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5.0/5.0
While visiting boston, my husband was injured and required surgery, and the tribulations that followed. Living out of state, we had NO idea what to do, and we needed guidance. Collen and her team were and ARE a God sent. Colleen answered all of ...
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5.0/5.0
I worked with Colleen Santora and had a great experience! I was very overwhelmed after my injury (MBTA at fault) and she made the process clear and easy. She always answered any questions I had and answered my emails within minutes every time. She al...
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5.0/5.0
On vacation my mother had an accident in the Boston Airport that required surgery and prolonged physical therapy. It was a long, painful and extremely stressful process. My mother felt hopeless and her chronic pain was debilitating. My mother finally...
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