Fell In an Uncovered Drainage Hole at Work...

by Connie
(Crest Hill, Illinois)

I fell in an open drainage hole because the cover/plate was not on the hole as it should be. This happened while I was working and I'm currently going to therapy for an injury to my shoulder as a result of the fall. My company rents the office space from an outside landlord.

My question is: Can I sue the owner of the building or my employer (or both) for the medical costs of my injury?

Disclaimer: Information provided in our response is NOT formal legal advice. It is generic legal information based on the very limited information you provided. Under no circumstances should the information in our response, or anywhere else on this site be relied upon when making decisions about your case. You should always get a formal case review from a licensed attorney.

ANSWER for "Fell In an Uncovered Drainage Hole at Work...":

Connie (Crest Hill, Illinois):

If your employer has workers compensation insurance you can not sue her. You may though have a case against the building owner.

To have any chance of being successful in a claim against the building owner you will have to have some evidence it was the building owner's responsibility to maintain the manhole cover. If the building owner wasn't responsible for its maintenance you will have to look to the city, county, or state to learn which entity is responsible for the maintenance of the manhole covers.

The important issue is your absolute legal right to sue a third party when there is sufficient evidence of that party's negligence or responsibility for maintenance of such things as manhole covers.

Once you identify the responsible party you can proceed with your third party claim. Remember, the reimbursement or compensation you may receive from workers compensation insurance should have no bearing on your third party claim. They are both separate claims. There is no "set-off". Your settlement of one side of the case should have nothing to do with the other case.

Since laws change frequently and across jurisdictions you should get a personalized case evaluation from an attorney licensed in your state (if you haven't already). Find an experienced local attorney to give you a FREE personalized case review here.


Best of luck,

Law Guy