Workers’ compensation benefits generally don’t apply to commute injuries. However, there are exceptions to this rule that may allow you to claim workers’ compensation benefits if you have been injured on a commute. Below are some of the exceptions.

You Were on an Errand

Workers’ compensation is valid for commuting injuries that occur if an employee is injured while on an off-site assignment that benefits the employer.

Consider a case where your employer asks you to pick up a delivery on your way to work. If you are involved in a car crash on the way to the pickup point, then the company’s workers’ compensation should compensate your injuries.

You Were on a Business Trip

You should also get compensation benefits if you were injured while on a business trip. Again, you should get the benefits because the business trip was beneficial to your employer. An example is if you got injured falling down the stairs while on your way back to your hotel from a conference. In such a case, you were clearly on a commute that your employer occasioned.

You Were on the Parking Lot

Workers’ compensation applies to all injuries that occur on employer premises. Therefore, you should get the benefits if you had a car accident on the parking lot or the pavement. What matters here is that the employer controls the parking lot or pavement. Don’t expect compensation for injuries that occurred on a public parking lot, however.

You Were on Call

If you are an on-call employee, then you should get workers’ compensation benefits for your commute injuries. Your workers’ compensation coverage kicks in from the moment your employer calls you into action. For example, if you are a nurse and you got injured driving to work after your employer summoned you, then you should get workers’ compensation benefits.

Travel is Part of Your Job

You also deserve to receive workers’ compensation benefits if you were injured on a commute when travel is part of your job description. Say you are a homecare nurse, a salesperson, or a technician who makes house calls. These types of professions have to travel to different places to meet client needs, and they are on the clock even when they are not on the employer’s premises.

You Were Between Work Sites

If your employer has multiple work sites, then you should be compensated for injuries that occur as you travel from one work site to another. Take an example where you are the manager of a local restaurant chain, and you have two outlets in a city. You deserve workers compensation if you got injured as you drove from one restaurant to another.

As you can see, you don’t lose your legal rights to workers’ compensation benefits simply because you were injured on a commute. At Matt Fendon Law Group, we can review the circumstances of your injuries and help you get your benefits. Contact us for all your workers’ compensation questions, and we will give you the help you deserve.