Most people go to work every day and return home once their shift is over. They may have to meet with clients occasionally. However, not everyone travels for work. If you are hurt on a business trip, an Atlanta workers comp attorney can help you file your workers’ compensation claim.
A Lot of Professionals Go Away on Business Trips
Many companies are global today. They have offices all over the world. Even those employers who don’t may still need their employees to travel every now and then.
Whether you need to go away for business depends on the kind of work you do. If you’re a construction worker, odds are, you don’t have to travel for work. If, however, you’re a salesperson, there’s a very good chance you’ll be on the road a lot of the time.
Some of Our Clients Only Travel Within the Atlanta City Limits
For many of our clients, the only traveling they have to do for work is within the Atlanta city limits. They may have to travel from one office to another. Or they may need to meet a client located across town.
Our Atlanta workers comp attorneys have represented many of these employees. Typically, any injury they suffer on the job is a result of a motor vehicle accident.
Our Atlanta Workers Comp Attorneys Also Represent Clients Who Have to Travel All Over the Country
Of course, there are other employees who have to travel all over the country for work. We have represented people who travel to 15 or 20 states over the course of a year. It’s rare for them to be in their home office for more than a week at a time.
For these workers, their injuries can range anywhere from a car accident to a train that derailed. Some of them end up renting a car that is defective in some way.
The point is, our workers’ compensation lawyers in Atlanta have helped many people who have to travel for work. Just because you’re not on company property when you are injured does not mean you’re not entitled to workers’ comp benefits.
The Difficult Part Is Proving You Were Working at the Time of Your Injury
One of the hardest parts for our Atlanta workers comp attorneys is proving that our clients’ injuries are work-related. Not surprisingly, when an employer learns that one of their salespeople is injured on a business trip, they would like to wash their hands of the matter.
It is a lot easier and cheaper for them to pretend that the employee got hurt on personal time. In fact, there have been many times when our workers’ compensation lawyers in Atlanta see notes to this effect in our client’s file.
Your Employer May Claim That You Were on Your Own Time When You Got Hurt
When somebody works on-site and is paid by the hour, it is a lot easier for our Atlanta workers comp attorneys to prove that their injuries happened at work. We can point to their timecard and show that their injury took place while they were on the clock.
It’s also a lot easier with these employees because we can look at CCTV cameras and prove that the employee got hurt on company property. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work this way for traveling employees.
It May Be Difficult for Your Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Atlanta to Find Witnesses
Another problem that our workers’ compensation lawyers in Atlanta run into is locating witnesses. Imagine that you are staying in another city and have to work out of a hotel room for three days.
You could be on an elevator that malfunctions and end up hurting your knee or your neck. Any number of things could happen. The problem is that you’re amongst a bunch of strangers.
It will be very difficult for your workers’ compensation lawyer in Atlanta to find somebody willing to attest to the fact that you were injured while you were working.
You May Still Be Entitled to Workers’ Comp Benefits
Just because it may be hard to find witnesses, that doesn’t mean that you’re not entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. There is no law or rule that says that you must be on company property at the time you’re injured.
Very few people today work in one location all the time. Since COVID, more people work remotely than ever before. The fact that so many companies have gone global means that a great percentage of professionals have to travel more often than they used to.
There is no way that the legislature in Georgia intended for these employees to fend for themselves if they get hurt on the job.
You Must Meet the Criteria for Workers’ Compensation in Georgia
The important thing is that your Atlanta workers comp attorney can prove that you meet the criteria for workers’ compensation benefits. These requirements are the same whether you are a remote worker or an employee who works on-site.
Some of the basic criteria for workers’ compensation in Georgia include the following:
- Your injury must occur while you are acting within the scope of your employment.
- You must report your injury to your employer within 30 days.
- You must submit to a drug test prior to receiving treatment.
- You must agree to be treated by an approved workers’ compensation physician.
- You must not have been under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of your workplace accident.
- You must comply with your workers’ compensation doctor’s treatment regimen
Most of the time, people who are hurt on the job have no problem getting their workers’ compensation benefits. The cases that our workers’ compensation lawyers in Atlanta handle tend to be the exception to the rule.
Trust That Your Workers’ Compensation Lawyer in Atlanta Has Your Best Interests at Heart
It’s bad enough to get hurt on the job. It’s even worse to learn that your employer doesn’t believe your story about how you got hurt. Our Atlanta workers comp attorneys understand how frustrating this must be.
Sometimes, your workers’ compensation claim is denied because the insurance adjuster doesn’t believe you. They may think you’re exaggerating your injuries. Or they may believe that you were hurt while you were sightseeing or enjoying your free time.
Can a Seasoned Atlanta Workers’ Comp Attorney Really Help?
The good news is that your workers’ compensation lawyers in Atlanta have decades of combined experience handling cases just like yours. They’ll reach out to your employer and the insurance adjuster. They will either appeal your claim or try to negotiate a settlement directly with your employer.
Either way, they’re going to fight to make sure you get the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.
