You might think that if you're injured in an accident on your way to or from work, you should be entitled to workers' compensation benefits. There is some logic to that idea – after all, in order to do your work, you have to get there and back, and your employer isn't going to let you live on-site. Unfortunately, that's not how Louisiana workers' compensation law looks at it.

Traveling to and From Work is On You

In most cases, your travel to and from work is not considered part of your employment, and injuries you suffer en route are not ones for which you can collect workers' compensation benefits in Louisiana. Those benefits are typically intended to provide coverage for injuries or illnesses that arise out and in the course of your employment, while you are actively performing work-related tasks, or as a direct result of your job.

Exceptions to the General Rule

There are some exceptions to this general rule. In situations where the travel is related to any part of your work, you may be entitled to workers' compensation benefits in Louisiana if you're injured in an accident. Examples of this kind of situation include:

- Where your employer provides your transportation to and from work, and you're injured during that transport;

- If you drive a company-owned vehicle and are traveling for work purposes when the accident happens,

- If you're paid “door-to-door,” from when you leave your home until you return;

- If your travel is at your employer's direction, such as to an off-site meeting, job site, or conference.

Even in these cases, the question of whether your travel injury situation meets one of the recognized legal exceptions depends very much on the facts of your particular situation. That's where we come in.

The Delsa Law Firm, LLC, Can Help You Collect for Your Travel Injuries

At the Delsa Law Firm, LLC, we have years of experience with both workers' compensation and personal injury claims. If you've been injured in an accident on your way to or from work, contact us and we'll help you explore if and how you might be entitled to receive workers' compensation benefits.

Our office is just off of I-12, near Interstates 10, 12, and 59. If you work in Louisiana, even if you commute in from the Gulf shore in Mississippi, or if your accident occurred in Louisiana, we're ready to help you protect your rights. Call us today at (985) 882-1222, or use our online contact form to learn more about how the Delsa Law Firm, LLC, can help you.