Car accidents are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. And while it’s true that many of these crashes involve those who work in driving-related fields, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 55 percent of workers who died in crashes in 2017 were not employed as vehicle operators. The risks for car accident injuries are real for employees in nearly all fields, and it is possible to obtain workers’ compensation benefits in South Carolina if you suffer injuries in a car crash while on the job.
Obtaining Workers’ Compensation Benefits After a Crash
The medical care and wage replacement benefits provided by workers’ compensation are available to any worker who suffers an injury, as long as he is an employee of the company and the injury occurs in the course of his job. This can include injuries sustained in a car crash when driving on work-related business. Driving for a job can encompass many situations, including:
- Making deliveries
- Picking up job or office supplies
- Transporting another employee or client
- Running an errand for the employer
- Driving for a living
- Traveling for work
South Carolina’s Coming and Going Rule
It is important to note that driving for work does not include the daily commute. In what is known as the Coming and Going Rule in South Carolina, drivers are not typically covered under workers’ compensation if they are injured in an accident while they are driving to work from home or back home after the workday ends.
Have You Been Injured On The Job?
If you've been hurt at your job you can speak with a workers' compensation lawyer. Please contact us online or call our Charleston, South Carolina office directly at 843.488.2359 to schedule your consultation. We are also able to meet clients at our Conway, Myrtle Beach, Murrells Inlet, Mt. Pleasant, North Myrtle Beach or North Charleston office locations.
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