When To Call An Attorney If You've Been In A Car Accident At Work

Typically, when you are injured at work, you don't need to worry about calling an attorney. This includes injures that occur in car accidents while working. However, there are some situations when you may want to contact an attorney, so you get the payout you deserve. Check out these three times when it may be best to call an attorney if you've been hurt in a car accident while working.

If Your Employer Doesn't Have Workers' Compensation Insurance

Your employer is likely required by law to have workers' compensation insurance, which pays for medical bills and some lost wages if you are injured at work. Depending on your state and the size of the business, however, it may not be required. Either way, if your employer doesn't have workers' compensation insurance, you may be able to sue them. In this case, you'll want to hire an attorney to handle the lawsuit for you. The benefit of being able to sue your employer is that you can get more money. Workers' compensation only covers medical bills and some lost income. With a lawsuit, however, you may win money for pain and suffering and all your lost income.

If the Car Accident Wasn't Your Fault

The advantage of workers' compensation is that it usually doesn't matter if you caused your own injury (unless you did it on purpose or are under the influence of alcohol/drugs). Even if you caused the car accident, you should be offered workers' compensation. If you were in the middle of breaking the law (beside minor traffic violations), you may not be covered. If the car accident wasn't your fault, you may be able to sue the other driver for additional money like pain and suffering. In this case, you can also file a workers' compensation claim, but you may need to repay some if you win your case.

If You Aren't Sure if You Were Working

If you are injured at work while working, it's usually cut and dry. However, when you leave the office for work, it can be a little tricky to determine if you were or were not working. For example, if you were driving to a meeting with a client when the accident occurred, you are usually covered under workers' compensation. However, if you decided to stop and get lunch before heading back to the office, and the accident occurred on the way to get your food, you may not be covered because you were running a personal task. If you mixed work and personal tasks at the time of the accident, get an attorney.

Getting injured in a car accident is a traumatic time. If you were injured while working, you should qualify for workers' compensation benefits, but there are times when you can also sue. If you would like more information or if you want to find out if you are allowed to sue, contact an accident attorney in your area today. For more information, check out websites like https://www.clearfieldinjurylawyer.com/.