When employees suffer an injury on the job, their employer must provide them with workers’ compensation benefits. This can pay for medical expenses as well as lost wages, eliminating many financial hardships that often accompany an injury.
Many employment opportunities in Nebraska require workers to travel. Naturally, employees assume workers’ compensation will also cover any injuries they suffer away from their worksite. In many cases, this is true, but all workers in the state should familiarize themselves with the rules governing travel-related injuries.
An attorney experienced in handling work injury claims can help, but most people do not seek a lawyer’s guidance until they receive a claim denial. Learning about the workers’ compensation “going and coming” rule can help you determine if you can seek benefits after a travel-related work injury.
- Workers’ compensation does not cover injuries that occur when you are commuting to and from work because you are not on duty at these times.
- Workers’ comp does cover injuries sustained while traveling as a part of your job duties. For example, if you are driving between construction sites and suffer injuries in a vehicle accident, you can likely acquire benefits.
- If traveling is the main part of your work duties, injuries suffered while traveling are covered. For example, a truck or delivery driver injured in a vehicle accident can acquire benefits.
- When your job requires you to travel to distant locations, workers’ compensation will cover any injury you suffer while away from home. For example, if you live in Omaha but must fly to Orlando for work, you remain under the program’s protections for the entire duration of your trip.
Although travel-related injuries are complex under workers’ compensation law, you still have the right to pursue benefits in most cases. As always, an attorney can help with any complicated details of your claim.