Assaulted While Delivering Food in Chicago: What Are My Legal Options?

For months, law enforcement in Chicago has been warning food delivery workers about the threat of violent criminals. A disturbing trend is emerging, and it’s clear that food delivery workers take their lives into their own hands every time they attempt to carry out their duties. In some of these incidents, homeowners mistakenly assault delivery workers in cases of mistaken identity. In other situations, armed criminals actively target food delivery workers. What are your legal options in this scenario? Is it possible to pursue compensation for your injuries? Could a Chicago workers’ compensation lawyer help?

Food Delivery Workers Continue to Fight for Legal Protection

If you’re a food delivery worker, you probably already know that you and your colleagues have relatively limited legal protections. Almost all food delivery workers are classified as “independent contractors” rather than “employees,” which means that they cannot file workers’ compensation claims. This is a subject of considerable debate across the country, especially as food delivery workers face threats from negligent drivers, slip-and-fall hazards, and violent customers.

You May Be Able to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit

Depending on the circumstances of the assault, a personal injury lawsuit may be possible. If the assault occurred on private property, you could theoretically file a premises liability lawsuit. For example, you might have been assaulted by restaurant staff after arriving to pick up an order at a restaurant. Maybe a customer in the restaurant assaulted you because they thought you went in front of them in the lineup.

Whatever the case may be, restaurants are private businesses that are subject to premises liability laws. If you can establish that the restaurant owner failed to take reasonable steps to ensure your safety on the premises, you could file a lawsuit against them. This could provide even more compensation than a workers’ comp claim, since personal injury lawsuits provide compensation for non-economic damages. Workers’ comp claims do not cover non-economic damages, which include things like PTSD and depression after an assault.

Many of these assaults also occur at private residences. Countless residents have assaulted delivery drivers, and these incidents occur throughout Chicago and the entire nation. If a resident assaults you on the premises of a private residence, a premises liability lawsuit may also be possible. This is something you might want to explore in more detail with a personal injury attorney.

In addition, you may be able to file a lawsuit if you were attacked by a dog on someone else’s property. This is called a “dog bite lawsuit.”

Can a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Help Injured Food Delivery Workers in Chicago?

If you were assaulted while trying to deliver food in Chicago, consider speaking with a legal professional. Although criminal charges may provide some degree of closure, they will not cover your medical bills and your lost wages. For this type of compensation, you may need to explore options like workers’ comp claims or personal injury lawsuits. Continue this conversation by contacting an experienced Chicago workers’ comp lawyer at Connolly Injury Law today.

Source:

 cbsnews.com/chicago/news/armed-robberies-food-delivery-rideshare-drivers-east-garfield-park/