What protects you after a work-related car crash?

There are some professions that come with very obvious risks for a motor vehicle collision. Commercial drivers and those who make food deliveries for their employers are clearly at risk of a collision on the job.

However, there are many other industries that require some degree of transportation work from their employees. From Human Resources professionals picking up job candidates to transport them to company facilities for testing to those working in resource extraction industries, such as oil, gas and timber, there may be many professionals who have to drive at least sometimes as part of their work responsibilities.

Unfortunately, employees out on the road can end up hurt in a crash just as easily as any other driver. Many of these workers will need to look into compensation for missed  income and injuries, as well as  property damage losses. What protects those hurt at work due to a car crash?

Workers’ compensation coverage

Unless someone is an independent contractor, they likely have protection in the form of workers’ compensation. Their employer must provide them with coverage that will pay for medical treatments and replace a portion of their lost wages.

Unfortunately, workers’ compensation benefits won’t fully cover a worker’s lost wages. The state will only cover a portion of someone’s average weekly wages and even then will only go up to a specific weekly limit in payments. Workers may need to look into other forms of compensation because of their lost wages and property damage expenses that workers’ compensation will cover.

Motor vehicle insurance

Most Colorado drivers carry liability insurance just like state law requires, but there are some people on the roads who don’t follow the law or who fail to make a payment and lose coverage. Even when someone has insurance, they may only have what the law requires, which could fall short of your total expenses.

A personal injury lawsuit

In a scenario where a car crash leads to personal expenses that insurance will not cover, you may need to take the other driver to civil court. State law allows you to k verifiable economic losses from the at-fault party after a car crash if their behavior at the wheel was negligent or they violated traffic laws.

The more serious your injuries or the damage to your vehicle, the more necessary it may become for you to look into each form of compensation available to you after a work-related car crash.