In our last blog post, we began a discussion about vehicle crashes that may or may not be considered “work related” under the law. We noted that if you were recently involved in a vehicle crash that had some link to your employment that you may want to consider speaking with an experienced attorney. A local attorney should be able to analyze the specific circumstances surrounding your case and be able to advise you on whether it can be considered work related. If it can be considered work related, you may then decide whether to file a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury suit.
We noted previously that work related crashes may occur even if driving is not in your primary job description. Crashes occurring during business trips or while running work related errands may be considered work related crashes under the law. Similarly, if your accident caused work related injuries to worsen, you may be able to file a workers’ compensation claim related to the accident, depending on the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Once you have determined whether your crash was work related or not, you and your attorney can evaluate your options for compensation. Generally, you may either file a workers’ compensation claim or a personal injury claim but you likely cannot file both kinds of claims. An attorney should be able to explain the benefits and drawbacks of each kind of claim given the particulars of your situation. Ultimately however, only you can determine which course of action is best for you.
Source: Findlaw Injured, “Is My Injury Work Related?” Le Trinh, April 1, 2015
