Workers’ rights activists have fought hard for decades for the right to file for compensation for lost wages. The laws and policies are extensive, and can often seem overly-complicated. Because of this, most people have a limited understanding of how workers’ compensation works, and what injuries can qualify for a claim. Here are a few of the strangest scenarios that can qualify for a workers’ compensation insurance claim.
You Are Injured at a Company Party
Company events, especially events that take place outside of your worksite, seem like they would obviously not qualify. You aren’t doing your job, and depending on where it is, you may not even be where you normally work; so how can you qualify for a claim if you are injured? The answer lies in the stipulation that all injuries involving work events can qualify. You attended a work event, which means that you were there specifically because of your job. That means that any injury you receive at company events could qualify. This gets a little shaky if alcohol and horseplay were involved, but a claim will not be discarded out of hand simply because it happened at a company party instead of on the job.
You Trip and Fall on Your Lunch Break
This scenario is even more clear-cut, but many people still think that it doesn’t qualify simply because you are not working. Qualifying workers’ comp injuries can happen at any time, not just when you are on the clock. If you are walking in your building and fall down the stairs, you could qualify. Accidents that take place while driving to pick up food do not qualify; this is because you are not on the clock, driving specifically as a part of your job or at the job site.
You Are in an Accident While Driving
Most people automatically assume that accidents that occur while commuting to work are not covered, and in this specific circumstance they are correct. But this rule does not carry over to all accidents that occur while driving. If you drive as part of your job (as a trucker or delivery driver, for example) or if your job site is mobile, then you could potentially receive workers’ comp damages in the event of a car accident.
work injury attorneys, like from Rispoli & Borneo, P.C., make it a priority to know which kinds of accidents to and do not qualify. Contact a lawyer if you have been injured and think you qualify for workers’ compensation.