Coworking spaces are commonly used by remote workers and independent contractors, who can choose to work from home. These facilities offer a full range of equipment and supplies, along with maintenance and receptionist services. They also provide a way to avoid social isolation, as you share the space with other people from different companies and organizations.
WeWork is one of the most popular providers of coworking spaces worldwide, with 779 locations in 39 countries. Currently, they have over 547,000 members, who average a commitment term of 19 months. Working at a WeWork location has many benefits, including the feeling of being part of a community with others who work remotely or travel frequently for work. But what about the downsides of working in a large facility, like the possibility of being injured in an accident?
Knowing who is responsible for an accident is a complicated subject when you are injured in a coworking space. Normally, those who are injured in the course of their job duties would file a workers’ compensation claim with their employer. But that may not be the case if you are an independent contractor or someone who is paying a membership fee to rent space from WeWork.
A WeWork accident injury attorney can investigate your accident and determine exactly who should be sued for the harm you suffered. Our legal team can help you with any type of accident claim, including:
- Slip and falls
- Trip and falls
- Chair collapse / broken chair accidents
- Injuries caused by falling objects
- Assault and battery
- Sexual assault
Who is Liable for Injuries at a WeWork Location?
As we mentioned before, employees typically turn to their employers for compensation in the event of an accident. These benefits are paid through the state’s workers’ compensation system, which you would apply for through your employer’s insurance company. But that option may not be available to independent contractors and remote workers. For one thing, these workers traditionally perform their job duties from home on their own schedule, so whatever injuries they sustained are their own responsibility.
However, liability for an accident is not a black and white issue when you are renting out a space to work from. WeWork clients pay a membership fee to use the office space, conference room, lab, etc. from the company, along with a variety of services and amenities. Thus, WeWork has a duty of care to provide a clean and safe working environment. This is based on the law of premises liability, where property owners have a legal obligation to maintain their premises and take reasonable measures to keep others from being injured.
So, the party that is most likely at fault for negligent conditions at a WeWork space is the company itself. But liability may be shared with a management company that’s in charge of custodial services, repairs, and other issues that have to do with the building. For incidents of assault and battery at WeWork locations, it’s possible that failure by a third party security firm may be to blame. So, this is another entity that may be sued by someone that was injured at a WeWork coworking space.
How to File a Claim for Accidents at WeWork
The process of filing a claim for accidents at WeWork depends on who is responsible for the accident. Is it WeWork, the building owner / manager, another worker at the site, or a third party service provider? As each of these entities has its own claim forms and insurance companies you will need to contact, it can be challenging to figure out how you should proceed with an injury claim.
First and foremost, seek medical attention right away to ensure that there is a clear link between the accident and the injuries you sustained. Then, contact our law firm and speak with a coworking space accident lawyer, who will take immediate action to investigate your case and determine the best way to move forward.
Settlement Values for a WeWork Accident Injury Claim
Injury cases for relatively minor damage can settle for $10,000 or less. On the other hand, lawsuits for severe injury may result in payments of $2,000,000 to $5,000,000. The majority of clients we represent receive $125,000 and above, but you must keep in mind that the amount of compensation is based on details that are specific to each case. Some lawsuits also involve non-economic damages like emotional distress and loss of consortium, and putting a dollar value on these damages can be very challenging. That’s why victims of an accident at a WeWork location should contact a premises liability lawyer as soon as possible.
How Long Does it Take to Get Paid on these Dates?
Accidents claims filed by WeWork members may be settled within a few months when the injuries are relatively minor. But accidents that result in serious injuries, or those with complex circumstances, like sexual assault, can take between 1 and 2 years. Overall, our goal is to reach a settlement with the other party, hopefully within 6 months. However, it would be a disservice to accept a lowball offer instead of fighting for a settlement that reflects the harm that was done to our client. That’s why lawsuits typically take months of back and forth negotiations. Occasionally, it may be in the client’s best interest to try the case the court, but this is very rare. If a trial is necessary to obtain justice on behalf of our client, the legal process will probably take over 3 years.
Deadline to File a Personal Injury Lawsuit
For the most part, the statute of limitations for a premises liability claim is 2 years, whether you were hurt from a slip and fall or physical assault due of lack of security. In other words, you have a deadline of 2 years to file a claim starting from the date of the accident. The only exception is for incidents of sexual assault, as the statute of limitations for sexual abuse lawsuits is 10 years in the state of California.
Since there is a limited amount of time to sue for your monetary losses, we suggest that you contact us immediately and talk to a lawyer that can sue WeWork or any other party that’s responsible for your injuries.
Contact Normandie Law Firm
As the job market changes and people find new ways to perform their work duties, there will be questions and concerns regarding who is responsible when someone is injured within the scope of employment. That’s why a WeWork accident case is much more than a run-of-the-mill premises liability claim. With that in mind, it’s essential to seek help from a personal injury attorney if you sustained an injury at a WeWork location.
To ensure that you understand your rights as an injury victim, we will offer you a free case evaluation with one of our legal experts. If you decide to hire us, all legal fees are charged to the negligent party, so you pay $0 to be represented by a lawyer who is experienced with coworking space injury cases. On top of that, we provide a Zero Fee Guarantee, so you owe us absolutely nothing if we fail to recover the payment you deserve.
Contact us today and schedule a free case evaluation if you would like to explore your rights and legal options.
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