You should take the same precautions and steps following a company vehicle accident that you do when driving your own vehicle.
- Do not leave the scene of the accident and
- Immediately call 911 to report the accident and wait for the police and medical personnel to arrive.
- Politely answer questions put to you by the police
- Call your company right away to report the accident to them
- Take the ambulance ride to the local hospital’s emergency room to treat any injuries you may have and to document how much you have been injured
- Contact your company’s human resources department and/or insurance carrier for guidance
- Contact an attorney who is experienced in both workers’ compensation and personal injury
You should get checked out even if you think you have not been injured. Sometimes shock sets in and accident victims do not realize that they are in fact injured. Many types of injuries such as head, neck and back trauma may not become evident until days or weeks after the accident. Motor vehicle accidents, even minor ones, are the leading cause of traumatic brain injuries.
Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury Claims
If you are injured in a motor vehicle accident while driving a company vehicle during your work hours, even if you are miles away from your place of employment, you may have been injured “on the job. As such, you could have workers’ compensation benefits available to you to help supplement your income if you have to be out of work and to help pay for your medical bills. Workers’ compensation reimburses an injured party for medical expenses and lost wages but it does not account for damages such as pain and suffering or ongoing disability. To receive compensation for those damages, you could elect to file a claim against the responsible party for your accident. These claims may coexist however, when you collect compensation from the personal injury claim, the worker’s compensation insurer will seek to be paid back.
In both cases, you should speak with a Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer to discuss your accident and the options for compensation available to you.
How can a Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury Attorney Help?
These claims get very complex and if you are not familiar with the laws involved it could cost you compensation for the needs you now have as a result of this accident. There are many petitions involved throughout the workers’ compensation claim process that can hurt your claim and even cut off your benefits if you don’t know the time restraints and rules for each. Along with these petitions are the possibilities of surveillance and nurse case managers which is why having our experienced PA workers’ compensation lawyers on your side is imperative.
Not only will we protect your rights, we will give you free advice and representation for your workers’ compensation claim up until a petition is filed. We will also take the time to educate you on all areas of the Worker’s Compensation system so you know what to expect and what to do when certain situations come up. Just like your injury is 24/7, so is our assistance, guidance, and consultation.
If you have been injured on the job while driving a company vehicle, call our Pennsylvania workers’ compensation lawyers now at 1-800-444-5309 for a free consultation. Our workers’ compensation attorneys are on-call 24/7 and ready to help you. We have offices in Philadelphia, Scranton, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg and will travel to you.
