Q: Can I sue my place of business if I contract covid?
A couple months ago, my place of business started a mask policy, but never enforced it. There were only a few people who wore a mask. Many higher-ups, who even started the policy, didn't wear the mask and considered the virus to be a joke. Today, somebody in the company has tested positive and it may spiral. Im worried I may have been infected. My mother just started chemo treatment for stage 4 colon cancer and if I can't visit her because I'm infected, I'm going to be very upset. I feel like this could have been prevented by the company in which I am employed. Can I sue my company for negligence or something similar?
A:
These are new questions facing the court, but depending upon your injuries or specific facts, one of two scenarios is likely. Either, (1) you can file a suit for something like negligence, personal injury, or wrongful death against the employer, or (2) you can file a workers' compensation claim.
The elements for negligence may slightly differ depending on where you are, but typically in order to establish a cause of action for a negligent conduct, a plaintiff must establish that (1) the defendant owes him or her a duty; (2) there was a breach of that duty; (3) there is a causal connection between the defendant’s conduct and the harm incurred to the plaintiff; and (4) damages to the plaintiff.
Additionally, you may have the grounds for some form of personal injury or wrongful death lawsuit against an employer if: through intentional actions – like the failure to provide PPE or to follow health and safety mandates – the employer created a work environment that caused the employee to become ill, and significant injury, such as severe and long-term complications or death, resulted.
You might want to reach out and contact an attorney.
Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.
The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.
Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.
