Georgia Work-Related Auto Accident Claims

Being given a company vehicle to drive is a great benefit since it allows you to drive for work without causing wear and tear on your own personal vehicle. Perhaps your work vehicle has your company’s logo plastered on the side or perhaps it’s unmarked.

Delivery drivers, home service professionals, construction and utility workers all benefit by having access to a fleet of company vehicles.

But what happens if you get into an auto accident while driving a company vehicle? Who’s responsible for the damages? Most importantly, who’s responsible for paying for your injuries?

If you are asking these questions right now, know that you’re not alone. Car and truck accidents are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the United States.

If you were injured while driving for work, don’t take your rights for granted. Take steps now to protect your right to compensation by contacting the law firm of Westmoreland, Patterson, Moseley & Hinson. Our Macon workers’ compensation attorneys have represented hundreds of injured workers throughout the state for over 50 years. We can help you throughout the entire workers’ compensation process, and even file a third-party personal injury lawsuit on your behalf against the at-fault driver for additional compensation. We have the experience, knowledge and commitment to see your claim through to the end and secure the best possible outcome.

If you or your loved one were injured in a work-related car accident, call us today at 1-800-688-1651 or contact us online. From our offices in Macon, Albany and Warner Robins, we help clients statewide in Georgia and throughout the Southeast.

When 2 or more vehicles collide, typically the single most important legal issue is figuring out who was “at fault” or responsible for the crash. This process is known as determining liability, and it’s an essential step in most personal injury and auto accident cases. Crash scene investigators as well as insurance companies use all kinds of available evidence (police report, photos of the scene, witness testimony, etc.) to uncover what really happened and who/what caused the wreck.

Why not? Because workers’ compensation is a no-fault system. This means that your employer must pay workers’ compensation benefits regardless of who was responsible for the car accident. For instance, even if you made a mistake and wrecked the company van into another car, your employer (or more specifically, their insurance company) is responsible for paying not only for your work-related injuries but also any injuries or damage suffered by the other driver(s).

According to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. In 2017, over 1,200 American workers driving or riding in a motor vehicle on a public road died in a work-related crash — accounting for a quarter of all work-related deaths. More than a third of long-haul truck drivers will experience a serious truck crash during their career. But these collisions aren’t just a danger to truck, taxi and bus drivers. Over half (55 percent) of the workers who died in auto accidents in 2017 were not employed in the transportation sector.

In addition to the devastating loss of life and the loss of ability for a person to work and provide for their families, these job-related auto accidents have a high financial cost on employers and employees alike. In 2013, work-related car crashes cost employers $25 billion — $65,000 per nonfatal injury and $671,000 per death.