Baltimore Workers’ Compensation Lawyers

Workplace Car Accidents

Car accidents are among the top 10 most common workplace accidents, and can cause a wide range of injuries, including broken bones, head and brain injuries, organ damage, whiplash, and lacerations, to name a few. When commercial drivers like truck drivers, delivery personnel, public bus operators, and taxi drivers are injured on the job, Workers’ Compensation generally covers their medical expenses and any lost wages. What many people may not realize is that even if you are not a commercial driver, you may be entitled to Worker’s Compensation benefits if you were injured in a car accident, as long as you were engaged in a work-related activity at the time.

In most cases, if you were injured during your commute to or from work or while running personal errands while on your lunch hour, the injury would not be covered by Workers’ Compensation since you were not performing tasks specific to your job. However, if you were in a car accident on your way to pick up office supplies or on your way to a sales call, Worker’s Compensation would likely cover the costs associated with your injuries.

What Workers’ Compensation Can Cover

If the car accident was deemed to be an “incident of employment,” meaning that the injury would not have occurred but for the individual’s employment, the employee’s injuries would be covered by his or her employer’s Workers’ Compensation plan. Benefits include the following:

  • Medical expenses: Recovering from a serious car accident can be a long and expensive process, often involving hospitalizations, surgeries, physical therapy, costly medications, and other treatments necessary to treat the injury. Workers’ Compensation covers these costs, allowing the injured employee to receive the treatment they need without being burdened with mounting medical bills.
  • Lost wages for missed work: Depending on the nature of the injury, the employee may be eligible for either temporary total disability (TTD) benefits or permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits.
    • TTD Benefits: If the employee’s injury makes him or her unable to work at all, Workers’ Compensation will provide a weekly wage loss benefit, which will be a percentage of his or her average weekly wage.
    • PPD Benefits: If an employee is able to return to work, but at a lower paying job, the employee will receive an average weekly wage that is based on a calculation of his or her average weekly wage. This benefit is provided for a maximum of 500 weeks, at which time the employee’s status is changed to temporary total disability.
  • Death benefits: If an employee is fatally injured in a work-related car accident or succumbs to the injuries related to the accident, the employee’s dependent spouse and children are entitled to monetary benefits based on the employee’s wage.

If another driver’s negligence caused the car accident, you may be able to obtain additional compensation by filing a personal injury claim. Examples of negligent parties include the following:

  • Another driver
  • The local government, or a contractor, who is responsible for poor road conditions
  • The car manufacturer if your accident was caused by a manufacturing defect

Baltimore Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Advocate for Employees Injured in Workplace Car Accidents

If you have been seriously injured in a car accident that occurred while you were on the job, contact the Baltimore Workers’ Compensation lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. We will explain the compensation options that are available to you based on the severity of your injury, and whether or not you are able to return to work. We have a proven history of securing optimal settlements for our clients and we will ensure that you receive the full benefits that you deserve. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, call us today at 844-556-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.