Transportation is a necessary part of doing business and is often part of people’s jobs. Maybe you are a commercial driver who transports goods back and forth across the city or drives a school bus. Perhaps you are an electrical journeyman who goes out with other professionals to provide service at people’s homes.
Driving may be what you do professionally, or it just may be a necessary part of performing your job. The more time you spend on the road while working, the greater your risk of injury or death. According to federal statistics, car crashes are one of the top causes of occupational fatalities and severe workplace injuries in the country.
Will workers’ compensation help cover the expenses related to a car crash?
Yes, any issue on the job could lead to a claim
Although there is never a guarantee of receiving benefits, almost any worker who can connect their medical condition to their employment can qualify for workers’ compensation. When there is an obvious precipitating event, like a car crash, it will be that much easier for you to prove to your employer that your injuries are a direct result of driving for your work.
Although it may seem simpler to just use car insurance to cover your costs, such claims can take quite some time. Fault can play a role in how much coverage you get. If you are to blame for the crash, workers’ compensation would protect you from losses whereas your liability coverage would not. Those with serious injuries may find that workers’ compensation offers better coverage because it doesn’t have low limits, like a bare minimum car insurance policy might.
You could pursue more than one claim
Just as there are limitations to motor vehicle liability coverage, so too are their drawbacks to solely relying on workers’ compensation. For example, disability benefits won’t fully replace the wages you lose but will instead only replace up to a certain portion of those wages. Workers’ compensation benefits won’t cover property damage costs either.
Those hurt in a car crash on the job often find that they need to file more than one insurance claim after the crash. Learning more about workers’ compensation and other protections you have while on the job will help you better manage your claims if you ever get hurt at work.