Workers’ Comp Car Accident
Practice Areas
Workers' Comp Car Accident Lawyers in Shreveport, Bossier City and Mansfield, Louisiana
Helping those who have received an on-the-job injury and are seeking workers’ compensation.
In today’s society, many jobs have positions that require an employee to have a reliable vehicle. It is not uncommon for an employer to post on a job application that you must have your own vehicle or form of transportation. There are even plenty of jobs that essentially revolve around the need for transportation, such as a food delivery driver or postal service driver. In addition to this, many companies also have their own company vehicle that may be driven for work-related purposes, or even allow their employees to keep a company car for both personal and work-related reasons.
When asked to commute from one work location to another, deliver an item, or simply run an errand, this can be considered work-related driving. Thus, if a work-related car accident occurs during this time, you could be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits from your employer. Workers’ compensation could potentially cover medical expenses or lost wages for an injured employee, among other benefits. If you have been injured in a car accident while driving or riding on a work-related errand, call for a free consultation to speak with the Shreveport workers’ compensation attorneys at Gordon & Gordon Law Firm today.
Work-Related Car Accidents: Who is Responsible?
If you are driving or riding along to perform work-related duties – whether in your own personal vehicle or a company car – and a car accident occurs, your employer could be responsible for covering the property damage and/or injuries that occur. Even if the police deem you, the employee, responsible for the auto accident, workers’ compensation benefits may still be available, so long as the accident occurred “within the course and scope” of your employment and you were not inebriated or trying to intentionally injure yourself or others. On the other hand, if the other driver or drivers cause the accident, you may be covered by workers’ compensation AND have the potential for a civil claim for a third-party work injury against the responsible parties.
As you can see, navigating both personal injury claims and workers’ compensation claims can be difficult. That is why it is important that you have the legal guidance from an experienced attorney from Gordon & Gordon to help you understand your rights with your workers’ comp benefits and injury claims.
Workers’ Compensation Car Accident Claims
The purpose of workers’ compensation laws are to protect individuals who have become injured or disabled while working on the job. Workers’ comp law also provides an injured employee with a fixed amount of money in an attempt to avoid the need for litigation between employee and employer.
In a perfect world, a workers’ compensation claim should be approved and the proper benefits should be given in the event of an accident causing on-the-job injuries to an employee while on the clock or while performing regular job duties. However, this is not always the case. Sometimes, employers and insurance companies will attempt to deny or decrease the benefits paid to the injured employee. For example, an employer may claim the injuries are not as severe as the employee says or that the accident did not occur at work or during the performance of work duties.
At Gordon & Gordon Law, we understand the frustration that can come along with a workers’ compensation claim. It can feel extremely time-consuming and even unfair without having a lawyer to explain and help you throughout the process. If you believe you or a loved one have been a victim of an unjust claim or work injury, call our experienced work accident lawyers for a consultation today.
Accident in Company Vehicle
Depending on the line of work, employers may provide their employees with a company vehicle of some sort. A company car can come with its own set of pros and cons. Not having to worry about gas and other payments for car-related issues that people face regularly is certainly a pro.
But what happens if you are involved in a wreck in the company vehicle? If the employer has commercial auto insurance on the vehicle, the insurance will typically pay any claims pertaining to the accident that occurred. Often, your employer will deal with the insurance company personally; however, further evidence may be required by the insurance company that requires your involvement.
Accident While Driving Personal Vehicle for Work
Generally speaking, when you cause an accident in your vehicle, you are liable for the damages that occur. Vise versa, if another driver or party is responsible for causing the accident, it is typically them who will be held liable for any resulting damages. However, your employer may share liability in either situation if you are driving as a part of your job or if you are running a work-related errand or performing a task during a clocked-in pay period. This means if you sustain injuries while in a work-related car accident, you may be able to file workers’ comp claims through your company’s insurance, thus leaving any medical bills and other expenses to be covered by workers’ compensation benefits.
If you’ve been involved in a car accident while on the clock and received injuries or damage to your personal property, call Gordon & Gordon today for legal advice. Our law firm will build a solid attorney-client relationship with you, help you understand your legal rights, and protect you from liability expenses. Our experienced Shreveport car accident lawyers know what it takes to recover compensation on your behalf as we as collect workers’ compensation benefits that you are legally entitled to.
Car Accident While Traveling for Work
Many occupations require employees to travel, whether for business meetings, industry conventions, visiting another office location, or anything of the like. These work trips can be exciting for some and a nuisance for others, but either way, employees who travel for work are not immune to experiencing a car accident while on the road.
Receiving personal injuries from a car accident while traveling for work can lead to many unforeseeable medical bills and medical attention, which is why a claim will need to be filed through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
The skilled Louisiana attorneys at Gordon & Gordon have years of experience handling workers’ comp claims. We also know how to properly handle a personal injury lawsuit against a negligent third party. If you or someone you love is facing a workers’ comp and/or personal injury claim as a result of a work-related car accident, let us guide you on the path to fair benefits and compensation.
Is My Employer Responsible for Damage to My Vehicle?
When a car accident happens on company time, there are many things that can make this situation complex and far from black and white. For example, there are big differences between traveling your regular commute to work and traveling for work or running work-related errands. For instance, if you happen to be leaving your home to make the drive to your workplace and are involved in an auto accident, this would not technically be considered a case where your employer is responsible for the vehicle damages. This is because you weren’t yet on the clock and the car accident itself was not caused by something that requires you to perform your regular job tasks or something your employer asked of you, so a claim for workers’ compensation likely wouldn’t hold up.
In certain cases, however, such as traveling between different office locations, making a delivery, transporting an employee, or general travel for any work-related purpose in which the employee is being paid, an employer may be liable for the damages to your vehicle.
If you or someone you know is in need of legal counsel regarding a workers’ compensation case, the experienced attorneys at Gordon & Gordon want to help you! We will make sure that workers’ comp benefits are attainable after a work-related accident and that you receive benefits that are appropriate to your losses, including both economic and non-economic losses. We will help you seek damages for medical expenses, lost income, property damage, mental anguish, temporary or permanent disability, and any other relevant types of workers’ comp benefits in Louisiana.
Do You Get Workers’ Comp if It’s Your Fault?
Workers’ compensation laws exist to help employees that have become ill or injured from work as well as work as a shield against an employer from any potential lawsuit. In addition, regardless of who is at fault, it provides the employee with benefits that are meant to compensate them for any financial loss that occurs as a result of the work-related injury. A workers’ compensation attorney can help ensure that injured workers receive the appropriate benefits and compensation, especially when an employer attempts to dispute the claims or refuses to provide appropriate coverage.
At times like these, having a dependable personal injury attorney like Gordon & Gordon can be incredibly beneficial and even necessary. Whether the employee caused the accident themselves or another driver caused the collision, we will make sure workers’ comp covers what it needs to and a personal injury claim holds the other drivers responsible, if necessary.
Shreveport Workers’ Compensation Car Accident Lawyers
At Gordon & Gordon Law Firm, our Shreveport injury attorneys have years of experience handling both workers’ compensation cases and personal injury claims. Above all, we want to make sure our clients have the financial means to overcome the injuries sustained from their work-related auto accidents. To learn more about filing a workers’ compensation claim or to explore your legal options for a workers’ comp vs. a personal injury claim, call (318) 716-4357 today and find out how our local personal injury attorneys can help you.