People involved in car crashes usually rely on car insurance to cover their expenses. However, there are other resources that can help people injured in collisions recover their lost wages and pay their medical bills.
Quite a few different professions require that workers drive daily or at least occasionally for their employers. In some cases, people injured in serious car crashes might be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation can provide disability benefits to replace lost wages and medical benefits that cover the cost of treatment.
When is a professional hurt in a collision eligible for workers’ compensation benefits?
When the crash occurs on the clock
No matter how much time a worker spends commuting to their place of employment, collisions that occur before or after work are not eligible for workers’ compensation coverage. A professional must be on the clock when a crash occurs for the incident to make them eligible for workers’ compensation coverage.
An employee does not need to be in a company fleet vehicle to be eligible for workers’ compensation. People who drive their own vehicles or rental cars while working have the same benefit rights as those driving company vehicles.
Additionally, fault for the crash does not determine their eligibility for benefits. While fault determines whose liability policy covers collision expenses, proof of fault does not impact eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits.
Particularly in cases where a professional driving while on the clock has made a mistake and is technically at fault for a crash, workers’ compensation may be the only viable source of financial support available to them. Reviewing crash circumstances with a legal professional can help injured employees gauge their eligibility and manage the paperwork required to file a workers’ compensation claim successfully.