Salon employee injured on the job by out-of-control vehicle
On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Workplace Injuries on Wednesday, December 23, 2015.
Some workplace accidents are easily avoidable, while others are unforeseen and largely impossible to prevent. In either situation, Illinois workers who are injured while completing their work duties are eligible to apply for and receive workers’ compensation benefits. Anyone who has been injured on the job can typically use these benefits until such a time as they are able to return to work.
A 38-year-old woman was working at an out-of-state nail salon when disaster struck. As an elderly woman attempted to maneuver her van into a parking spot in the nearby parking lot, she reportedly lost control of it. The vehicle careened into the building, struck the employee and pushed into the adjoining suite. At the time of the incident, the employee was sitting on a chair that authorities credit with saving the woman’s life.
While she did survive, the employee was transported to the hospital and was listed in critical condition. The wreck caused her to suffer severe head injuries as well as trauma to her legs. So far, police have not filed any type of criminal charges against the driver who caused the wreck in the first place, although it is certainly not outside of the realm of possibilities.
An employee who was injured on the job due the actions of a third party can be understandably confused when it comes to his or her to workers’ compensation benefits. Employees in Illinois still have the right to these benefits so long as the injury was suffered while carrying out work duties. In some instances, victims are able to recover additional compensation through a civil claim against a third party, and that may be possible in this circumstances. Nevertheless, workers’ compensation is an effective tool that injured workers can utilize in order to move forward with their recovery.
Source: wsbtv.com, “Worker injured when 87-year-old crashes into nail salon“, Dec. 9, 2015
