While many Americans spent most of 2020 quarantined inside their homes, essential workers – including delivery drivers – are on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ability to have food, groceries, medicines, clothes, entertainment, and other items delivered to our doors is a must in order to maintain public health and safety. We owe delivery drivers a tremendous debt.
At the same time, more delivery drivers out on the road makes it more likely that many of these frontline workers end up injured on the job. This blog offers tips on what you can do if you or someone you know was injured while driving for work, including making a delivery.
Workers’ Compensation Lawyer For Drivers and Delivery People
Driving for work comes with risks, whether you deliver for DoorDash or drive for Nebraska’s trucking industry. The workers’ compensation team led by David Handley at Watson & Carroll, P.C., L.L.O. has helped countless injured workers, including drivers, secure the compensation and benefits they need and deserve.
The service that drivers provide during these difficult times is immeasurable. When those drivers and delivery persons are injured, we are here to help. If you or someone you know was injured while working, please call our office at 402-234-8787 or share your story here.
Also, please download our free workers’ compensation ebook that will provide lots of important information if you are injured at work.
Job-Related Injury and Illness for Delivery Drivers
All jobs have inherent risks. But if you drive for work, you have a higher risk of a work-related auto accident than people who drive for personal transportation.
Nebraska workers’ compensation statute requires employers to maintain workers’ compensation insurance for employees regardless of whether they are full-time, part-time, seasonal, temporary, or minors. That includes drivers and delivery people.
Workers’ compensation provides benefits if the employee is injured while working or diagnosed with an occupational disease. Under state law, benefits cover two-thirds of a worker’s average weekly earnings subject to a minimum weekly amount that is adjusted annually. Work comp also covers the cost of related medical care
Despite the rules, insurance companies often deny benefits. A workers’ compensation attorney, though, can advocate for your rights and stand up to the insurance company. It’s a tough road to go alone.
Our workers’ compensation attorney works on contingency. In other words, our Nebraska law firm doesn’t collect any fees until we earn money for you. If you wait until your claim is denied, it’s more difficult to turn things around in your favor.
As an essential worker, you should be compensated without being hassled. We can help.
Striking A Deer While Driving For Work
The pandemic has more than doubled the demand for food delivery. Restaurants, grocery stores, and delivery apps drop off food and supplies to homes and businesses across Omaha, Lincoln, and other cities in the state. Truck drivers travel in rural areas, on highways, as well as through cities and neighborhoods.
Deer season is in full force, and your odds of hitting a deer while driving in Nebraska may be greater than you realize. According to the Nebraska Department of Transportation, there were 2,558 motor vehicle accidents involving animals during 2017. Of those, 216 people were injured. If you make a delivery and you strike a deer, it is considered a work-related accident under the law. If you hit a deer or other animal during a delivery run and are hurt, seek medical help and tell your supervisor.
Injured While Making A Delivery
There are several chances for delivery-related injuries that don’t involve the act of driving. Slip-and-fall accidents, for example, are common. Delivery drivers risk tripping over loose pavement, slipping on gravel, or falling on ice or snow. If you suffered injuries due to a slip and fall while making a delivery, seek medical attention right away and report the incident to your employer.
If you become injured on the job, keep track of evidence and all documentation that supports your claim. Copies of medical records and medical bills are important, as are records of missed work and lost wages. Witness statements are helpful, too.
If the injury is your fault – if you caused a vehicle crash, for example – you are still entitled to work comp benefits. Workers’ compensation insurance offers no-fault coverage for injured workers regardless of whose fault the injury was. You may need to provide evidence that shows you were working when the accident occurred.
Should you hire a Nebraska Work Comp Attorney if injured in Nebraska? YES!
If you were injured while working as a delivery driver, you should notify your employer as quickly as possible. Your employer will then notify their insurance company to get the claim underway.
You have the right to select a treating physician, but they should be someone you or a relative saw in the past. If you do not have a doctor, your employer can choose a treating physician for your workers’ compensation claim. You can select any doctor for emergency medical treatment, a dismemberment, or if your injuries require major surgery.
Many legitimate workers’ compensation claims are denied. If you were turned down for benefits, you should file an appeal as soon as possible. Our workers’ compensation team understands the ins and outs of Nebraska Workers’ compensation law.
About Watson & Carroll, P.C., L.L.O.
At Watson & Carroll, P.C., L.L.O., our team works closely with our clients and their loved ones. Whether it is a workers’ compensation case, a personal injury claim, a medical malpractice case, or advocating for disability benefits, we work to protect our clients financial health and well being and make sure their rights are upheld.
Our firm can help. Please call 402-234-8787. Get your free ebook today. Fill out our confidential intake form to share your story.