Car Crash Injuries on the Job
If you are required to utilize your car while on the job (meeting clients, traveling to patients, traveling between work sites, etc.) you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits in the event of an accident. If you are involved in a car accident while on the job you should immediately report the injury to your employer. If another driver was involved, the process can now become even more complicated with various different insurance companies getting involved. This is why it is imperative that you seek the expertise of our workers’ compensation attorneys.
Are the Benefits the Same?
If you are involved in a work-related motor vehicle accident, you are still entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. In Minnesota, workers’ compensation insurance is primary, which means that your medical bills should be paid for by the workers’ compensation insurer, not your auto insurer. Your benefit structure will still consist of the following:
- 66% of all lost wages/earnings
- Medical expenses for the treatment of the work injury
- Dependent/spousal benefits if the injured worker dies from the injuries
- Benefits for permanent impairment
- Vocational rehab services if the injury keeps the worker from working at the previous position
Workers’ Compensation insurance does not cover vehicle or property damage.
“What if I Caused the Accident?”
The Minnesota Workers’ Compensation system is a “No-Fault” system, which means that even if you lost control of your vehicle, your employer is still required to pay for any and all medical expenses and wage loss incurred as a result of the accident.
“What Type of Attorney do I Need?”
When injured in an accident while on the job, you may also have a personal injury case in addition to a workers’ compensation case. In many cases, a person involved in a work-related motor vehicle accident will have both a personal injury attorney and a workers’ compensation attorney. Our workers’ compensation attorneys will happily provide you with a referral to excellent personal injury attorneys who will assist you in recovering against a third party. This way you can ensure that you are legally protected on both ends.
If you are unsure what type of claim you might have following a motor vehicle accident, call us today at (612) 465 -0320 for a free consultation.
