Workers’ Compensation Claims in the Gig Economy

Most people never have to deal with a significant workplace injury throughout the course of their careers. But when accidents do happen, workers’ compensation is intended to provide a safety net for those who become unable to work as a result of their injuries.

Workers’ compensation cases can be complicated. It’s important to have an experienced attorney on your side when pursuing a claim. Some of the complexity inherent in these cases arises from the fact that not all employers have to provide their employees with workers’ compensation benefits.

Workers’ Compensation Claims and Independent Contractors

Tragically, worker deaths in Massachusetts have recently hit an 11-year high. In 2017, 74 people lost their lives while on the job.

Some of those deaths occurred while people were working gig-type jobs, such as a 19-year-old bicyclist working for Door Dash who was fatally struck by a dump truck during a delivery. Because this bicyclist was technically working as an independent contractor, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration did not get involved.

Hiring independent contractors who do not work onsite relieves employers of a lot of liability regarding their employees. There are no health and safety regulations for these types of employees.

Employers also seek to escape certain responsibilities by hiring temporary workers. This doesn’t allow employers to skirt legal liability regarding workers’ compensation and associated lawsuits in the same way employing “gig-economy” workers does, but it does lead to an increased likelihood of workplace-related accidents, as temporary workers often receive less training and little to no safety training.

Lawyers Who Know Workers’ Compensation Claims

Jeffrey Glassman Injury Lawyers are staffed with competent lawyers who have extensive experience dealing with Massachusetts workers’ compensation claims. We will pay attention to every detail of your case and push forward to get you the maximum amount of compensation possible.