Upon getting involved in a car accident, your initial assumption may be that your personal injury protection (PIP) insurance may work to cover your incurred medical expenses. However, if your car accident occurred while you were technically “on the clock” at work, then there may be other outlets in which you may obtain coverage (i.e., workers’ compensation). Follow along to find out the standard procedures for when you get in a car accident while working and how a proficient Panama City car accident attorney at Manuel & Thompson, PA can work to ensure you are fairly compensated.
What happens if I get in a car accident while working?
Firstly, the state of Florida follows a “no-fault” workers’ compensation system. This means that it does not matter who was the at-fault party of your car accident event, as you may receive coverage regardless. However, what does matter is that your accident occurred during your working hours or otherwise while you were handling a job-related task. Therefore, workers’ compensation may not apply if you were simply commuting to or from your workplace at the time of your accident.
Further, if you can confirm that workers’ compensation does apply to your accident, then your employer is required to use this insurance to cover your reasonable and necessary medical expenses, along with any temporary or permanent disability benefits for your current and future lost wages.
What do I need to do for my workers’ compensation claim?
It should go without saying that you must inform your employer of your “on-the-job” car accident as immediately as possible. For one, this may only strengthen the validity of your future workers’ compensation claim. But more importantly, there are only certain physicians approved by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier. Therefore, your employer may direct you to the right physician.
In addition, while assigning fault is not necessarily relevant to your workers’ compensation claim, it may be worth knowing if you intend to pursue a third-party claim. In other words, you may file a lawsuit against the negligent driver of your car accident in an attempt to recover additional compensation for things that workers’ compensation does not cover. For example, to reach a full recovery, you may also need to be compensated for your non-economic damages, such as your pain and suffering.
Lastly, if you do have a successful third-party claim, you must understand that your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier may place a lien on your benefits. This is because you cannot receive “double recovery” for your medical expenses and lost wages.
In conclusion, it is in your best interest to employ one of the talented Panama City workplace accident attorneys for your workers’ compensation claim. So please schedule your free initial consultation with us at Manuel & Thompson, PA today.
