If your job requires that you drive during your shift, you could be at risk of having a traffic accident while on the job. Employees who are injured at work are eligible to file for a workers’ comp claim, but it’s important to understand the process and steps needed to be able to file. Transportation accidents are common in shipping and delivery jobs that take workers away from the job site. However, a common misconception is that a workers’ comp claim is for injuries sustained at the workplace, but if your job takes you away from the work place then any injury suffered while on the clock is considered a workplace injury. Common Injuries That Occur Because of Transportation Accidents From traffic accidents to injuries from delivering packages, when workers drive as part of their jobs, accidents happen. Sometimes they are obvious injuries, such as those that happen from an actual traffic collision. However, there are other possible injuries that could happen when you drive as part of your job. Let’s say you are a delivery driver and you need to take a heavy package off your truck. If you pick it up, you could hurt your back. That is one injury. Another is if you use equipment to move the package and the equipment causes an accident, such as using a forklift if your delivery vehicle is a giant flatbed truck. What To Do Transportation accidents have a lot more steps involved than other workplace accidents, depending on the nature of the accident. If you are in a serious car accident, then you may need to have the police and paramedics come to the site of the accident. You must notify your employer as soon as possible, both that there was an accident and that you were injured. You should go to the doctor (depending on the nature of the accident you may go to the hospital or follow-up with a doctor later) so that the doctor can document the injury and talk to you about a treatment plan. It is a very good idea to see your doctor no matter how small the injury because your supporting documentation is what will help you to build a strong case. In addition to medical documentation, you should get statements from witnesses, take photos of the accident and your injuries, and if there is security camera or dashboard camera footage available you should get a copy of that as well. Remember, the more evidence you have the stronger your claim will be. Get A Free Case Evaluation Today Each state has its own time frame to file a workers’ comp claim, and in order to file a claim you must report the injury to your employer first. Filing a workers’ comp claim can be stressful and intimidating because you must gather evidence and make sure your claim is as complete as possible. A workers’ comp attorney can help you gather evidence, work with insurance companies or your company’s human resources department and help you to file your claim. Though working with an attorney does not guarantee that you will win your claim, having an experienced advocate working on your behalf will greatly increase your chances for a successful outcome. Many workers’ comp attorneys will work on a contingency basis so that you do not have to pay anything upfront, and you only pay if you win your case. For more information about how a workers’ comp attorney can help you, fill out a free case evaluation. Additional Resources Can I File a Claim? When Should I Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney?
