Who Can Be Held Liable in a Missouri Workers' Compensation Case?

When a Missouri worker is harmed on the job as the result of negligence, they have a right to seek compensation through civil litigation filed against those responsible for their injuries. This raises the question though of, “Who can be held responsible for a workplace accident?”
The St. Louis Personal Injury attorneys with Cofman Townsley Injury Lawyers point out that while there are several entities that can be held liable for a worker’s injuries, a supervisor or co-worker often isn’t one of them. In fact, the Missouri Court of Appeals recently dismissed a lawsuit that was filed against the supervisor of an injured worker.
An article from Business Insurance explains that in September 2008, a man was working to unload a truck of dowel baskets. As he was working though, the load shifted and fell on top of the victim, causing him to suffer serious and permanent injuries.
The victim later filed suit against the supervisor, alleging he had been warned of the hazards the baskets posed and failed to take corrective action. The supervisor argued he could not be held liable under the exclusive remedy provisions of the state’s workers’ compensation laws, which “shield employees from liability to co-workers except in affirmative acts beyond normal job duties.”
The courts sided with the supervisor.
The case highlights the intricacies of Missouri workers’ compensation law and the importance of having a Missouri workers’ compensation lawyer by your side when filing a claim. At Cofman Townsley, we have decades of combined experience helping injured workers get the benefits they deserve and can do the same for you. Call us at (866) 483-3618 to learn more about how we can help.