Personal Injury Lawyer
A work injury occurs when an employee gets hurt while working. It is not surprising to find out that someone on a construction site or in a factory gets hurt because those are riskier jobs. However, what about those people who work in seemingly safe jobs? As it turns out, there is more than one way to get hurt at work. Discover how people get injured going about their daily tasks.
Running an Errand for a Superior
There are times when an employee needs to visit another office location. A worker may be taken there by a car service, or they may walk or drive themselves. If the employee gets hurt while in transit, or if something happens while at the destination, it may fall under workers’ compensation coverage. When a boss directs an employee to run an errand or complete a task offsite, even if the worker decides to make the stop part of their lunch break, it is now part of the worker’s prescribed duties. As such, anything that happens while in the course of that duty is covered by the employer even though it is not onsite.
Performing a Regular Work Duty
Injuries do not just happen because of car accidents or slip and falls. When an employee is hurt doing their regular job duties, it may qualify as workers’ compensation. One example of this is carpal tunnel syndrome. This is a repetitive motion injury that comes on over time as the result of the worker performing a tedious and redundant movement with their hands. This includes typing, operating a machine at a factory, or sewing fabric. Repetitive injuries are covered under workers’ compensation insurance when they are the direct result of the job function.
Traveling to or from a Work-Related Event
Driving may not be part of regular work duty for many, but it can count in some instances. Driving to a meeting, for example, either from the home or office, is covered by workers’ compensation. The only caveat is that the employee’s supervisor must mandate attendance at the event or conference. If someone gets into an accident going to a social gathering with other employees, it may not be covered.
A lawyer, like a workers’ compensation lawyer, from our friends at Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt can provide clients with further insight on whether an injury qualifies for coverage. Keep in mind that the law does not require all companies to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Thus, it is a good idea to get an attorney’s point of view before proceeding.
