Some people do not realize this, but a workers’ compensation lawyer Baltimore MD offers may be helpful following an auto accident that occurs while “on the job.” This may be especially true if the auto accident resulted in injury or property damage.
It may be confusing to make sure you get the most beneficial type of lawyer following an auto accident. Just stop and ask yourself: were you working when the accident occurred? More importantly, is driving part of your job? It doesn’t even necessarily have to be a company car you were driving if it is within the parameters of your job to be driving.
Auto accidents involving business vehicles or employed drivers may result in several legal questions. Some of these questions include:
- Who is responsible for the accident?
- What insurance provider will pay for the accident?
- Will workers’ compensation insurance be factored in?
- Will negligence be factored in?
While it could be challenging to figure out the answers to these questions on your own, a Baltimore MD workers’ compensation lawyer may be able to help you find the answers.
Respondeat Superior – The Employer Is Legally Responsible
A legal doctrine called respondeat superior comes into play any time an auto accident occurs while a person is “on the job.” Any workers’ compensation lawyer Baltimore MD can provide may tell you this doctrine means that while an employee is “acting within the scope of their employment,” the employer is legally responsible for them. In short, if you get in an auto accident while working, your employer may be responsible. As an workers’ compensation lawyer in Baltimore MD may confirm, this means your employer may be responsible for medical bills or property damage that resulted from the accident.
Workers’ Compensation Versus Liability Insurance: What’s The Difference?
Any workers’ compensation lawyer Baltimore MD has to offer may explain that liability and workers’ compensation are two different types of insurance. They are similar, however, and separating the two may be confusing. The purpose of workers’ compensation insurance is to cover an employee who gets injured while driving a company vehicle “within the scope of his/her employment.” This coverage may include reimbursement for medical bills, out-of-pocket expenses, and a portion of his/her lost wages.
Workers’ compensation insurance does not, however, pay for pain and suffering. If the injury from the auto accident is serious enough to cause a disability, a workers’ compensation lawyer Baltimore MD trusts may be able to get the insurance to pay you a settlement. Liability insurance, on the other hand, may cover compensation for pain and suffering as well as compensation for damage sustained by third parties. This means that workers’ compensation may pay for the employee who was injured and liability insurance may pay for anyone else who may have been injured during the accident.
Auto repair and medical bills following an automobile accident can be expensive. If you were working when an accident occurred, you may be entitled to financial assistance to help pay for these bills. Schedule a consultation with a workers’ compensation lawyer Baltimore MD residents depend on by calling Car Accident Info.
