JENKINTOWN PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS

Do you spend a significant part of your work day driving? If you are a police officer, truck driver, taxi driver, delivery person, plumber, house cleaner, real estate agent, painter, or repairman, you are one of the millions of Americans whose job involves driving. This means you are at risk of suffering injury from the leading cause of workplace fatalities—an on-the-job motor vehicle accident.

Examples of Workplace Traffic Accidents

• Mark is a commercial driver. He is making a delivery in Cherry Hill when a car cuts in front of him causing a crash. Mark suffers a neck injury.
• Tanya is an interior designer. She is on her way to meet with a client in Camden when her car skids on an icy spot and crashes into a telephone pole. She suffers life-threatening injuries.
• Mike is an administrative assistant in Allentown. He doesn’t normally drive during the workday, but there is a proposal that had to be mailed immediately. He is involved in an accident while returning from the post office. He suffers a broken arm and a back injury.
• Lia is an engineer. She is injured in a rental car accident while attending an out-of-town conference. Her co-worker was driving and ran a red light.

Normally, the at-fault driver is responsible for Pennsylvania car accident injuries. But, work-related traffic accidents are different. When you are involved in a workplace car accident, your injuries are covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy, even if the accident was your fault. You must file the claim for compensation with your employer.

Of course, if someone else caused the accident, you still have the right to file a claim against the negligent driver. You cannot sue your employer, but if someone other than your employer or a co-worker is responsible for your injury, you may file a third-party liability claim against that driver. Your workers’ compensation attorney will investigate the crash and look at all sources of possible compensation to make sure that your injuries—and other losses—are fully covered.

Sources of Compensation After a Workplace Car Accident

• Your employer’s PA workers’ compensation policy
• Your own insurance policy
• The other driver’s car insurance
• The agency responsible for maintaining the road
• Rental car agencies
• The manufacturer of your vehicle or a defective vehicle part

If you have been injured in an on-the-job traffic accident, please contact Mednick, Mezyk & Kredo, P.C.  Ask for a free copy of Your Guide To PA Workers’ Compensation. This book will give you the information you need to protect your rights. If you have additional questions, give us a call at 888-807-WORK (9675).