It’s a relief to know that your employer has workers’ compensation insurance in case you are injured while at work. You never know when an accident could happen which you have no control over. Workers’ compensation can help to pay for medical treatment and replace at least some of any lost earnings. Of course, some jobs require you to be away from your work base and travel on behalf of your employer. It can be a worry when you are injured away from your actual workplace because there may be doubt whether you will be still covered by workers’ compensation insurance. In most cases, as long as you are officially traveling because of your job, you should be covered, but if there is any doubt, see a workers’ comp. attorney Liability While Driving a Company Car If you are injured driving a car while performing a job for your employer, it is most likely that you will be covered by workers’ compensation insurance. There are several scenarios possible. You could be: driving your own car but still doing so as part of your job; driving a car, van, truck or other vehicle that belonged to the employer and doing so as part of your job; a passenger in a vehicle driven by someone else but still doing so as part of your job. In each of these scenarios, the important determinant is that you were in the vehicle carrying out business on behalf of your employer. If you were injured while traveling to or from your job from your home or going out to lunch or were using a company vehicle for your own purposes, it would be unlikely that you would be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance. Possible Damages While Driving a Company Car Vehicle injuries can vary from the most minor cuts and bruises as well as shock right through to very serious injuries, even if the vehicle is equipped with air bags and you were using a seat belt. The worst injuries are caused by a head on collision with a larger, heavier vehicle, or a side-on or t-bone collision with another vehicle on your side of the vehicle. Potential injuries include severe cuts and gashes, broken bones, facial injuries, head and brain damage, spinal damage and teeth being knocked out. If you are driving or in a vehicle that has hazmat material, you could also be injured by toxic fumes or suffer burns if the vehicle bursts into flames. Importance of an Attorney Ordinarily, you should not need an attorney to submit a workers’ compensation claim if you were injured as part of your job, whether you were in a vehicle or not. However, claims are not always as straightforward as they should be. Insurers are not always keen to pay compensation and there may be questions about your use of the vehicle when you were injured. If you do encounter problems with a claim, or want to know what you should do to make the process more certain, you will find that a workers’ comp. attorney will have the experience to provide useful legal advice and negotiate on your behalf if necessary. Additional Resources Hiring an Attorney for Workers' Compensation How Can I Start a Workers’ Compensation Claim?
