Which Injuries Are Considered On-the-job Injuries?

By Author: azworkcomp
Total Articles: 4
Comment this article

While cases of a worker impaled by sharp metal or an office worker suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome from continuous typing clearly fit the term ‘on-the-job injury’ in our heads, not all workplace injuries occur at the actual workplace.

If an employee suffers an injury, on the clock, s/he may be eligible for workers’ compensation regardless of whether s/he was physically in the workplace or not at the time of the injury.

Read on to understand more about what qualifies as an on-the-job injury.

The Requirements
According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration or OSHA, “Recording and Reporting Occupational Injuries and Illness,” an injury must be considered to be work-related “if an event or exposure in the work environment either caused or contributed to the resulting condition or significantly aggravated a pre-existing injury or illness.”

This means a wide variety of jobs and tasks are covered under the term ‘on-the-job’ injury and it’s important to determine whether your injury or illness falls under it.

Injured while Traveling for Work
If you ...
... are performing work activities in the interest of your employer, any injuries or illnesses that occur, while you are on travel status, are considered work-related. This includes –
• conducting job tasks
• travel to and from customer contacts
• entertaining or being entertained to transact, discuss, or promote business in the interest of your employer

If you are a delivery driver and you are injured in an accident while on the way to or from a customer’s location, it would be considered an on the job injury. However, if you make a personal detour from a reasonably direct route of travel, such as a personal side trip on the way to/from the client location, any illness or injury would not be considered on the job.

If you’re on a work-related trip and get involved in an accident on the way to the airport or suffer an injury or illness in some other way during the travel, it would be considered an on the job injury.

However, if you check into a hotel for your travel time and you’re injured, you are considered to have established a “home away from home” and you are considered to have left the work environment. When you begin work each day, you re-enter the work environment but if you are reporting to a fixed worksite each day, injuries or illnesses are not considered work-related if they occur while you are commuting between the temporary residence and your worksite.

If you’re injured on the job while away
There are several jobs and duties that may take you away from the physical office or job site while you’re still on the clock. Claims in case of on-the-job injuries while away often require great analysis than those that occur while in the office, job site, warehouse or other employer-owned sites. This is why it is best to seek the help of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to ensure you understand your rights and the law.

To consult the best workers compensation lawyers in Phoenix, Arizona, call Arizona Injury Law Group at 602-346-9009. Arizona Injury Law Group PLLC offers workers’ compensation attorneys who help injured workers seek benefits and justice and a voice standing up for you!