The Massachusetts workers’ compensation system is intended to assist injured workers with the costs and hardships that arise as a result of an on-the-job accident. However, benefits are only available to employees harmed while performing their job obligations. When an accident occurs while the employee is on their way to or from work, proving benefits should be granted can be challenging. Recently, a Massachusetts court discussed what evidence an employee must produce to show that an injury that happened while they were traveling is job related. If you were hurt at work, you should contact a Massachusetts workers’ compensation attorney to assist you in determining if you are eligible to recover benefits.
The Claimant’s Harm
It is reported that the claimant was working as a nurse pursuant at the time of her injuries. Her company assigned her to work in a rehab facility in Vermont, although she lived in Massachusetts. She drove home from Vermont at the end of each five-day stint, assuming she would be reimbursed for her lodging and meals for the whole five-day period. She did not request reimbursement for travel expenditures because she believed the policy was unclear and that she was not obligated to show receipts.
Allegedly, the claimant was leaving her five-day duty and traveling back to her home in Massachusetts on the day of the accident. Specifically, on the way home, she was injured in an accident that necessitated multiple operations and rehabilitation. She was seriously hurt and has no recollection of the accident. She sought workers’ compensation benefits, but her employer’s insurer argued that she was not owed benefits because she was not working at the time of the accident. A judge ruled in favor of the claimant, and the insurer appealed. Continue reading →