When You’re Injured Outside Of The Company’s Doors
Are you finding yourself wondering what to do after you’ve been inured outside of your company’s doors? Maybe you’ve stumbled and fallen on a piece of broken concrete in the parking lot outside your employer’s office building and got hurt - now what? Or, maybe you’re running some errands for the company when a distracted driver sideswipes your vehicle and you’re seriously injured. It looks like you may be off work for a while as you recover. Wondering what your next legal step is? This blog is for you.
Do I still qualify for worker’s compensation benefits?
The answer is maybe. Employers are only usually responsible for an employee’s work-related injuries — but those, however, aren’t always confined to the company property or a worksite. There are plenty of work-related injuries that take place outside an employer’s building or grounds.
The real question that may control whether or not you’re eligible for benefits may be, “What were you doing when you were injured?” If you were injured during your daily commute, for example, the “coming and going” rule mostly excuses your employer from any obligation for your accident and injuries. Similarly, if you’re out in a company truck but you’re injured while running some personal errands, that wouldn’t likely fall under the banner of a workers’ comp claim.
When you do qualify for workers’ compensation
If you were out of the office and running errands at the behest of your boss or as part of your job duties, you could reasonably expect your employer to accept the liability. For example, if you’re a salesman who has to check in at satellite offices twice a day and you’re injured while doing so, that probably would be an exception to the “coming and going” rule.
The nuances of a workers’ compensation claim can be difficult to follow, especially when you weren’t actually inside the company’s building when you got hurt. Don’t rely on your employer or their insurance company to get it right. Find out more about your legal rights today by speaking with one of our experienced attorneys today.
Cole, Fisher, Cole, O’Keefe + Mahoney is Central California’s leading workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm. With over 30 years of successful experience, we are committed to securing maximum benefits for our clients in the Fresno, California area. Schedule a free consultation today.
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Making a false or fraudulent workers’ compensation claim is a felony subject to up to five years in prison, or a fine of up to $150,000 or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or by both imprisonment and fine.