Workplace Hazards Across Vermont
Vermont's economy puts workers in genuinely dangerous settings: construction and road crews, logging and forestry operations in the Northeast Kingdom, dairy and agricultural work, granite and stone quarrying, manufacturing, and warehouse jobs. Falls, machinery accidents, vehicle and equipment collisions, falling objects, and repetitive-stress and exposure injuries send many Vermonters to the hospital each year.
Workers' compensation provides important benefits regardless of fault, covering medical care and a portion of lost wages. But workers' comp does not compensate for pain and suffering and may not fully cover an injured worker's losses — especially in catastrophic cases.
When a Third Party Is Responsible
Many on-the-job injuries involve someone other than the employer — a negligent driver who hits a road worker, a defective piece of equipment, an unsafe condition created by a subcontractor or property owner, or a careless third party on a job site. In those situations, an injured worker may have a separate personal injury (third-party) claim in addition to workers' compensation, and that claim can recover the full range of damages, including pain and suffering.
Sorting out the interaction between a workers' comp claim and a third-party lawsuit is complex, including how any recovery is shared. Experienced counsel can pursue every available avenue while protecting your benefits.
Protecting Your Rights
If you have been hurt at work in Vermont, report the injury, seek medical care, and get advice about all of your options. A third-party personal injury claim generally must be brought within three years under 12 V.S.A. § 512. A free review can identify whether you have a claim beyond workers' compensation.
Injured in Vermont? 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
Nothing upfront. Our network attorneys work on contingency, so you pay no fee unless they recover compensation for you. The case review is always free.
Generally three years from the date of injury under 12 V.S.A. § 512. Claims involving a government entity under the Vermont Tort Claims Act can have shorter notice deadlines, so it is important to act quickly.
Vermont's modified comparative negligence rule (12 V.S.A. § 1036) lets you recover as long as you were not more than 50% at fault. Your compensation is reduced by your share of fault.
This page is for general informational purposes only and is not legal advice. For guidance on your specific situation, consult a licensed Vermont attorney.