When people are on-location, at their place of employment, and receive an injury while they are completing tasks for their job, there is usually little doubt that they will be awarded workers’ compensation benefits in North Carolina and Virginia. However, it may be much more difficult to prove the need and eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits if an employee is telecommuting.
This is exactly the conflict that one woman is dealing with after she tripped over her dog and fell at her home, while she was working. The incident occurred while the woman was working as an insurance adjuster for her employer’s Lake Mary location, but was working remotely from her home at the time. After she reached for her coffee and subsequently tripped and fell, the woman sought workers’ compensation assistance as she was dealing with shoulder, knee and hip injuries related to her accident.
When her claim was denied, the case went to court where it was recently decided that the woman’s injuries and the accident that caused them were not the responsibility of her employer. As a result, the court ruled in their favor and the woman has received no compensation. Supporters of the woman’s position claim that despite the fact the woman was in her own home and tripped over her own property, she was still working at the time and it was within designated work hours.
If people have been denied workers’ compensation assistance, they may wish to call on an attorney for support. An experienced legal professional may be able to present evidence in a manner that is compelling in a court case.
Source: dailycommercial.com, “Court rejects workers’ comp for at-home fall,” Jim Saunders, Apr. 8, 2019
