Employees in Pennsylvania can receive workers’ compensation when they suffer injuries or illnesses on the job. Now, in some cases, it is very black and white. If an employee slips or falls on the job and injures his or herself, he or she may collect workers’ compensation. Jobs that involve hard labor, for instance, are more likely to result in an injury related to the job. Likewise, office jobs may result in conditions such as carpal tunnel. These are obvious cases. A less obvious case would be when it comes to car accidents.
Can you receive workers’ compensation after a motor vehicle accident? In some instances, yes, you can receive workers’ compensation benefits after a car accident. The Pennsylvania Code states that for a vehicular accident to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, the employee must be on duty or be driving a vehicle owned by the business. This means that you receive benefits if you were in an accident while performing for work.
For instance, if you completed any of the following tasks, you may be qualified:
- You were making a delivery
- You were visiting a client
- You were on your way to a company meeting
Now, the instances where you cannot ask for workers’ compensation benefits are those accidents that occur during a commute. Your commute is not a part of your job; hence, the benefits do not go into effect after a car accident on the way to or from work.
This information about workers’ compensation and car accidents is for an educational purpose and not for legal advice.
