Workers’ Compensation for Injuries from Commercial Vehicle Crashes at Work
At the law firm of Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, we help clients get the compensation they deserve when they have been injured in a workplace accident involving commercial vehicles. We answer your questions and offer sound, legal guidance based on our 100 years of combined legal experience.
Workers’ compensation is a state run program that provides partial disability payments and covers your medical expenses related to the injury when it arises out of an employee’s regular work tasks. But what happens in the event of a motor vehicle crash?
Does workers’ compensation cover injuries from car crashes?
If the employee suffers an injury in a car crash that occurs while the employee is on the clock and engaged in work tasks, then worker’s compensation might cover those injuries. Employees whose job task is driving, from bus drivers, delivery truck drivers, shuttle bus drivers to limousine drivers, if they receive an injury on the job, they are likely to be eligible for workers’ compensation.
Employers’ legal responsibility
Employers are legally responsible for the actions of their employees while those employees are acting within the scope of their employment under a legal principle called respondeat superior. The employer must pay for the injuries an employee suffers and property damage caused by an employee when they are driving a company vehicle. Even if an employee is driving their own vehicle or another private vehicle, if they are on the clock and doing work within the scope of their employment.
If you are a professional driver and you become injured in a work vehicle accident, there may also be other options in addition to filing a workers’ compensation claim that your personal injury attorney can discuss with you such as a third party personal injury claim against the negligent driver who caused the accident.
Please take a moment to fill out our contact form or call 302-888-2900 to make an appointment for a free consultation with one of our experienced workers’ compensation attorneys. We have offices in Wilmington, Newark or Seaford.
Attorney Jeffrey S. Friedman joined Silverman, McDonald & Friedman in 2001. He graduated from Widener University School of Law, and is admitted to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania, and in several Federal Circuit courts. He areas of concentration include auto accident and workers’ compensation cases. Read more about Attorney Friedman here.