As an employee, being provided with a company car or work vehicle can represent a valuable benefit, especially if you are able to use the vehicle when you are “off the clock.” Accidents and injuries can happen when you’re in that vehicle regardless of what you’re doing at the time, but when those accidents occur while you’re working, you are entitled to file a claim for worker’s compensation benefits to pay for your medical expenses, as well as a portion of your lost wages while you recuperate. If you’ve been given access to a company vehicle, there’s a good chance that your employers’ workers’ compensation insurer will want to establish whether you were working at the time of the accident or not. This is because in order for the legal liability for your expenses to lie with your employer, it needs to be clear that you were driving the vehicle for a work-related reason. Though many employees who are injured while driving a company vehicle focus on whether they were at fault for the accident, and fear that if they made a mistake they will not be eligible for compensation, that is not how the determination is made. What will matter is whether you were driving the vehicle as part of your employee role or in your personal life. This means that if you were commuting to or from work from home or a personal errand, workers’ compensation will not be applicable, but it will be if you were driving for any of the following reasons: Driving to or from an off-site jobsite Taking a product to a client Picking up product or supplies from a vendor Going on a sales call Running a work errand or an errand for your employer Every situation is different and whether a vehicle was being used for work purposes is not always a black and white issue. As a result, if you have been involved in an accident while driving a company vehicle, you may need legal representation to ensure that you are treated fairly. For information and help, contact us to set up a convenient time to meet and discuss your case.