Running a business is a rewarding but costly venture. Like many other business owners in Texas, you might have chosen to preserve some of your finances by foregoing insurance coverage for workers’ compensation. However, this leaves you vulnerable to work-related injury claims. Also known as nonsubscriber claims, you could be on the hook for a significant amount of money.
Not all injuries are work related
Injuries happen for all kinds of reasons, many of which are not work related at all. Unfortunately, this does not stop some people from blaming their injuries on their work duties or their employers. You do not have to become the scapegoat for someone else’s accident or injuries, though.
You have multiple defense options when facing a work-related claim. Whether you believe an accident happened in your workplace or strongly suspect that a worker’s injury was from outside causes, you need to avoid overpaying or taking on that scapegoat role. Even if you believe you have created a very safe work environment, it is important to remember that accidents can happen anywhere, including in some of the following industries:
- Construction
- Manufacturing
- Transportation
- Retail
- Hospitality
- Tourism
You may also want to keep in mind that even if an accident did occur in the workplace, worker negligence, recklessness and horseplay are also sometimes factors. It is important you work closely with someone who understands these and other factors that may limit your liability regarding a given injury or accident. You can learn more about nonsubscriber claims by visiting our Texas employment law website.