If you have recently been involved in a motor vehicle accident, it is important to determine whether the accident can be considered to be “work related” under the law. If your accident was work related, you may be able to collect workers’ compensation depending on the circumstances of the accident and the nature of harm that you suffered as a result of the accident. However, it may be more beneficial to pursue a personal injury suit whether or not your accident was work related.
Before you consider your options for compensation, you must first determine whether the crash you were involved in can be considered work related under state law. The circumstances surrounding every accident are different. As a result, it is generally a good idea to speak with an experienced attorney in order to ensure that you are adequately informed about the legal nature of your accident. But before you meet with an attorney, you may wish to consider the following general guidelines.
First, it is important to note that your vehicle crash may be considered work related even if driving a commercial or private vehicle is not in your job description. For example, if your accident occurred while you were on a business trip or while you were running errands related to your job, your crash may be considered work related. However, it is again worth noting that the specific circumstances surrounding your crash will be relevant when determining whether it was work related if driving is not in your job description.
Please check back in later this week as we will be continuing our discussion on this important topic during our next blog post.
Source: Findlaw Injured, “Is My Injury Work Related?” Le Trinh, April 1, 2015
