Injured in a work-related car accident? Contact our Hamilton, East Brunswick, Bensalem, or Philadelphia Offices to Collect Fair Compensation for Your Medical Expenses
If you have been in a car accident and you were driving a company vehicle or driving for work, you may wonder if your employer is responsible for compensating you for damages or injury. While most accidents occur on personal time and involve only you and the other involved driver, an accident that involves work-related transportation complicates matters. Read on to learn more about whose responsibility it is to cover expenses in the case of a work-related car accident, so you can be sure you receive the treatment and full compensation you deserve.
Injured Traveling to and from the job
If you are traveling to or from work and are involved in an auto accident, the generally held precedent is that your personal insurance must cover expenses and damages. This only applies if you are at fault for causing the accident; if another driver is at fault, their insurance is responsible for covering all damages and medical expenses. If this is the case, it is recommended that you hire a personal injury attorney to handle your claim and support you in receiving full recovery for your losses and out-of-pocket expenses during the recovery process. The one exception to this precedent is the case in which your automobile is required for your work, and as such, as soon as you begin the commute to work, you are on the job. If you were at fault for an accident on the way to or from work but your car is a required tool for your job, contact a member of our team today to learn who may be liable for covering accident expenses and options for your next steps.
Hurt Driving a Company Vehicle
If you were driving a company vehicle and were at fault for an accident, it is likely that the company’s insurance will cover all expenses, and your personal insurance will not be affected. If you are injured in the accident, it is imperative to keep records of all medical expenses paid out of pocket to submit to the company’s insurance for reimbursement.
There are a few exceptions to this. If you were driving the company car but you were driving for personal reasons, your company can denounce liability and claim your full responsibility in the case of an accident. A company can also denounce liability if you were partaking in illegal activity in the car or an illicit activity such as consuming alcohol before getting behind the wheel of their company property. If your company claims nonliability for an accident while you were driving their vehicle and you can claim that the company was negligent in properly maintaining the car, this is very serious and you may be able to recover damages. For this type of claim, you will definitely want the support of an accident lawyer.
Again, if you are in an accident with someone else who is driving their company’s car and are not at fault for the accident, you need not worry. Focus on recovering in body and mind after filing a claim with your personal insurance company, keep close records of any immediate out-of-pocket expenses incurred, and seek the support of a personal injury attorney. You can expect to recover all the damages and expenses caused by the accident.
Injured in an Accident Using your Personal Vehicle for Work
If you are at fault for an accident while driving your own vehicle, but your business driving was directly related to work, your company may be liable to cover damages. As noted above, this generally does not apply to the commute to and from work; however, running errands for work at the direct request of your company could mean company liability for any accident that takes place during that time.
If you have been involved in an automobile accident, your safety and health are first priority. Seek medical attention immediately if you are injured in a collision, even if the pain isn’t immediately evident. Because of the stress response of the body to a trigger such as a collision, it may be hours or even days before cortisol and other stress hormones lower, inflammation subsides, and your body is able to show you where it may have been thrown out of alignment. Contact a personal injury or accident lawyer to support you in the process of recovering the full extent of damages you deserve for the accident.
Contact a Mercer County Commercial Car Accident Injury Attorney to ensure a fair outcome in your case
At Cohen & Riechelson, our accident attorneys are experienced in facilitating insurance claims between our clients across in Trenton office, Princeton, Lawrence, Hamilton, New Brunswick and across Mercer County. and the companies whose vehicles they were driving when the auto accident occurred.
Our direct approach is intentionally designed to ensure that our clients receive the full representation and financial compensation they are merited, so they can recover from the accident and get back to work healthy and well.
To meet with an experienced member of our firm today regarding your accident, please call (609) 528-2596 or go online to schedule a free, no-risk consultation with a personal injury lawyer.
