If you have sustained injury on the job site, you may have eligibility for workers’ compensation. However, what the law considers the “job site” can vary, and, depending on your occupation, can be rather confusing.
Most Americans spend a period of time each day commuting to and from work. Even though it would seem that the commute would be directly related to work, any injuries you sustain on the commute are not covered by workers’ compensation. According to FindLaw, the ‘Going and Coming’ rule prevents workers’ compensation benefits from applying to the commute, with exceptions.
What are some exceptions?
If you happen to work a job that involves a high level of travel, then the going and coming rule does not apply. For instance, if you are a bus driver who sustains injury on the job site (namely, in the bus itself), then workers’ compensation would indeed apply. The same goes for truck drivers or airplane pilots.
Traveling between job sites is also covered. For example, if you work for a landscaping company and sustain an injury driving between properties, workers’ compensation would indeed apply.
What if my boss sends me out on an errand?
This would fall under a “special mission” as per the law. If your boss asks you to do anything for them, like grab a coffee for them before work, you may have eligibility for worker’s compensation if you sustain an injury while executing the action.
Even if what your boss asks you to do is completely unrelated (for example, your boss asks you to walk his dog), if you sustain an injury doing this, you may have eligibility for workers’ compensation.
