If you are under the age of 21 and have been hurt on the job, what are your rights? Can you refuse to work in conditions that you believe are unsafe? Do you have a right to file a claim for workers’ compensation? Can you report your employer to the state or federal worker protection agencies? Studies show that many teenagers are injured in the workplace. One study showed that more than 225,000 teens suffer work-related injuries every year in the United States, and that more than one-third of these injuries require emergency room care.
Studies also show that teens are more likely to be injured at work than adults. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that hundreds of teens die annually from work-related injuries.
Your Rights as a Teenager in the Workplace
As a minor, you have the same rights in the workplace as an adult. You have the right to refuse to perform dangerous tasks. If you are hurt on the job, you have the right to seek workers’ compensation benefits just like any other employee. If your employer is exempt from the workers’ compensation laws or does not have workers’ compensation coverage, you can seek damages in a lawsuit. You may also seek compensation for injuries caused by someone other than your employer or a co-employee, such as the driver of another vehicle, if you are involved in a work-related motor vehicle accident. You have the right to sue owners and general contractors for injuries sustained while working at a worksite for most construction, demolition, alteration and repair projects. Teens are entitled to the same work site protections under the Law as an adult and in some instances have additional protections as well.
Contact Our Workplace Accident Law Firm in Bronx, NY
If you or someone you know have been injured in a workplace accident, or you need legal assistance, contact the Bronx workplace accident lawyers at Oresky & Associates, PLLC at your nearest location to schedule a free consultation.
Our main office is located in the Bronx, near the Deegan Expressway and easily accessible by trains numbers 2, 4 and 5 at the 149th Street station and Grand Concourse. Our office in Queens is located on Roosevelt Avenue, near Junction Boulevard station number 7 train. Our office in Manhattan is located on Fifth Avenue near Bryant Park. The Office of Oresky & Associates, PLLC., represents people injured throughout the State of New York, including New York City, the Bronx, Queens, Manhattan, Brooklyn (Kings County), Staten Island (Richmond County), Westchester, Long Island, Suffolk County and Nassau County.
We have two convenient locations in New York:
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Bronx Office
149 E 149th St
Bronx, NY 10451
(718) 993-9999
Oresky & Associates, PLLC – Queens Office
104-09 Roosevelt Ave
Queens, NY 11368
(347) 507-3884
