In the past few weeks while the country, and globe, has been dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic, millions of workers in a variety of fields have been laid-off, furloughed, or told to work from home.
However, there are still several industries and businesses that remain open during these times. The businesses that do remain open are usually ones that have seen a surge in demand, such as grocery or other essential retain, and delivery providers. With the sudden increase in the need for additional workers, many employers have had to forego the usual interview requirements, safety screening or training in order to meet new demands. While having people still be able to participate in the workforce is essential during these times, will these short-cut hiring practices result on more problems, and more specifically accidents, down the road?
One of the potential problems that may result is more on-the-job injuries by employees who were not adequately trained or protected to perform their jobs. States have laws that require most employers to have workers compensation insurance in case their employees become injured on the job. In many states, including Georgia, filing a workers compensation claim is the exclusive remedy that an employee has against an if he or she sustains an injury at work. The more employees are performing tasks that are unfamiliar to them, the more likelihood there is of any injury.
Although employees may be limited under state laws in obtaining compensation from their employers, if their injuries were caused by the negligence of a third-party, the employee can filed a personal injury claim against the negligent party. For instance, if a delivery worker was injured in a motor vehicle accident while on the job and the accident found to have been caused by another negligent driver, the delivery worker could in addition to filing a workers compensation claim, also file a personal injury claim against the negligent driver. There are certain time limits in which an employee can file a claim against their employer and/or a third-party from the time the accident and injury occurred. Therefore, if you or a loved on is in this situation, it is important to consult with a personal injury lawyer to be sure you do not miss important deadlines.
This scenario presents another potential problem of having a surge of employees performing jobs who have not been adequately trained – accidents caused by untrained workers. In fact, there may be countless numbers of workers performing tasks without the necessary training and knowledge required, thereby putting themselves and others at risk of harm. For example, a delivery driver may be driving a vehicle that he or she was not suitably trained on, which could put them at risk for causing an accident while performing their job duties.
During these uncertain times, employers still need to ensure that their employees are adequately skilled and trained to perform the jobs they are hired to do so that both their employees and the public remain safe from any further harm or injury.
If your loved one has suffered has been injured in an accident due to someone else’s negligence, talk to an Atlanta accident attorney at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers and discuss your claim.