Work-Related Car Accident Lawyer

Many North Carolina workers have job duties that involve driving motor vehicles. Unfortunately, that leaves these workers uniquely susceptible to the risk of being involved in a work-related car accident.

For example, a delivery driver may get into a crash on their route, an employee may be involved in a collision while traveling between job sites or to a customer’s location, a worker’s car may be hit while they’re running errands at an employer’s direction, or someone could get into a collision while traveling out of town to a work-related function.

When people suffer injuries in work-related car accidents like these, they may have options for recovering compensation for their injuries, such as pursuing workers’ compensation benefits or a third-party personal injury claim. Balancing legal claims after a work-related accident can become tricky. An experienced attorney from Ward Black Law can help you identify your options for obtaining financial relief after a work-related car accident and pursue maximum compensation through every available legal avenue.

Contact us today to discuss your situation in a free claim review.

Steps to Take After a Car Accident While Driving for Work

If you’re involved in a car accident while driving for work, you should take steps that will help you pursue financial recovery, including:

• Report the accident to law enforcement.
• Seek immediate medical attention for your injuries.
• Follow all medical treatment plans and restrictions.
• Request a copy of the police crash report.
• Document the accident scene with photos and videos.
• Request contact information from any eyewitnesses.
• Report the accident to your employer as soon as possible.
• Request copies of your medical records.
• Keep bills, invoices, and receipts for related out-of-pocket expenses.
• Gather your pay stubs to document your lost wages.
• Contact an NC workers’ compensation attorney from Ward Black Law as soon as possible to discuss your legal options for recovering compensation. Connecting with our attorneys early in the process provides valuable peace of mind that comes with knowing an experienced legal professional is guiding you and managing your claim.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Work-Related Crashes in North Carolina

Under the workers’ compensation system in NC, an employee who suffers injuries in a car accident at work may have the right to receive various financial benefits from their employer, regardless of who caused the crash. Our North Carolina workers’ compensation attorneys can help you access benefits such as:

• Medical benefits– Cover the cost of reasonable and necessary medical treatment and rehabilitation for a work injury
• Lost wage benefits– Provide reimbursement of up to two-thirds of a worker’s lost wages from missed work
• Permanent partial disability benefits– Pay financial benefits to workers who sustain permanent disabilities or loss of body parts or functions
• Travel expenses– Compensate workers who travel 20 or more miles round-trip for medical treatment on a per-mile basis

The Going and Coming Rule in North Carolina

The going and coming rule under North Carolina’s workers’ compensation law can limit the right of employees to obtain benefits for car accidents. Under the rule, any injury an employee sustained while commuting to or from work may not qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.

For an injury to qualify for workers’ compensation, it must arise out of and occur in the course of employment, meaning the injury must have a causal connection to the worker’s job and occur in a time, place, and circumstance related to employment. The going and coming rule ensures that employers do not bear the risk of injuries that occur while the employee is traveling to and from work, since that risk occurs equally for everyone who travels to work and bears no relation to any unique hazards of the employer’s business.

North Carolina recognizes several exceptions to the going and coming rule that may entitle an injured worker to recover workers’ compensation benefits for injuries in a car crash, including when:

• The accident occurs on the employer’s premises, such as a car accident in the employer’s parking lot or garage.
• The accident occurs while the employee performs a special errand for their employer while traveling to or from work, such as stopping somewhere on the way to work to pick up job materials.
• The employer provides transportation under a contract with the employee or compensates them for their transportation costs or travel time.

The going and coming rule may not apply in cases where an employee travels directly from their home to a client’s or customer’s site, as such travel represents an inherent and necessary part of the job.

Third-Party Claims in Work-Related Car Accidents

In many cases, an employee who suffers injuries in a work-related auto accident caused by a party unrelated to their employer, such as another motorist, may pursue a third-party personal injury claim against the at-fault party in addition to seeking workers’ compensation benefits.

Third-party claims can provide work-related car accident victims with compensation unavailable from a workers’ compensation claim. In a third-party claim, you might recover compensation for:

• Medical treatment and rehabilitation costs
• Long-term care costs
• Full replacement of income from missed work
• Lost earning capacity
• Physical pain from injuries and medical treatments
• Emotional trauma and distress
• Diminished quality and enjoyment of life
• Property damage

You may have a third-party claim for a work-related car accident if another negligent or reckless driver hits your vehicle or if your or someone else’s car suffers a mechanical failure that causes or contributes to a collision, for example.

Why You Need a Work-Related Car Accident Lawyer

Pursuing maximum compensation after a work-related car accident can involve handling several legal claims. Our work-related car accident lawyers can allow you to focus on recovering from your injuries by handling the details of your workers’ compensation and third-party claims to pursue full financial recovery from every available source.

Let Ward Black Law fight for the resources you need to put your life back on track by thoroughly investigating the crash, identifying liable parties, evaluating your options for financial recovery, documenting your injuries and losses, and pursuing your workers’ compensation and personal injury claims to seek maximum compensation.

If you were hurt in a car accident while working, you may have various avenues to recover compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and other losses. Let an experienced work-related car accident lawyer from Ward Black Law help you navigate the legal process.

Contact us today for a free case review to discuss your legal rights and options.