Workplace Vehicle Accidents

Motor vehicle accidents are the leading cause of workplace deaths in the U.S. These accidents involve many types of vehicles, from delivery trucks, tractor trailers and garbage trucks trucks to emergency response vehicles, farm equipment and passenger cars.

If you were involved in a vehicle accident at work, you may be entitled to medical benefits and lost-wage benefits through Florida’s workers’ compensation program. To realize the full value of your claim, however, it may be necessary to get legal assistance.

Frank M. Eidson, P.A., is available to help. Learn more by contacting us today. We serve clients throughout Orlando, Winter Park and central Florida. We never charge for our initial consultations.

How Common are Workplace Vehicle Accident Injuries?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that 1,800 deaths a year in the U.S. result from occupational transportation incidents. In other words, workplace vehicle accidents account for roughly 38 percent of the country’s work-related fatalities. The non-fatal injury rate of work-related motor vehicle accidents is 7 per 10,000 full-time workers.

Who Is At Risk of a Workplace Vehicle Accident?

According to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), the industry divisions with the highest fatalities include:

• Transportation/Communications/Public Utilities (TCPU)
• Sales
• Service
• Construction
• Manufacturing
• Mining
• Agriculture/Forestry/Fishing
• Material movers
• Laborers.

Of course, these aren’t the only industries in which workers face the risk of a motor vehicle crash. Any profession that involves commuting or transporting goods or people presents a crash risk. Police officers, firefighters, home healthcare workers and taxi drivers spend significant time driving as well.

It isn’t only drivers who are at risk. Pedestrians can also be struck by a vehicle. Around 16 percent of fatal transportation incidents involve pedestrians.

What are the Causes of Workplace Vehicle Accidents?

Workplace vehicle accidents generally fall into three categories:

• Collision with another vehicle
• Collision with a pedestrian
• Collision with a stationary object on the roadside.

Alcohol and other drugs, speed, lack of sleep and driver distractions are factors in many work-related vehicle crashes. Distracted driving is increasingly a concern, killing an estimated 5,500 people and injuring nearly 450,000 each year.

As the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) puts it, “There is no reason to think that the role of distracted driving in fatal work-related crashes is any less than in fatal crashes in the general public.” The same can also be said of non-fatal work-related crashes.

How Can a Florida Workers Compensation Lawyer Help With Your Workplace Vehicle Accident Injury?

All Florida workers compensation claims involve a good deal of paperwork, deadlines and other bureaucratic headaches. Claims involving a workplace vehicle accident can present added complications.

For example, workers’ compensation typically applies only to incidents that occur “on the job.” But “on the job” can be interpreted in a number of different ways. When you file a workers’ compensation claim, your employer might try to argue that you were not “on the job” at the time of an accident.

In addition to pursuing workers’ compensation, you may also have the right to bring a civil lawsuit against the driver of another vehicle or another party who caused your accident.

To learn more about your rights and the legal options available to you after a workplace vehicle accident, contact Orlando workers compensation lawyer, Frank M. Eidson, P.A., by phone or through our online form. We will review your case for no charge and help you to map out a plan for seeking the relief you deserve.

For More Information

• NIOSH Backgrounder on Distracted Driving: Work-Related Hazards and Resources for Safety, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Work-Related Roadway Crashes: Who’s at Risk? CDC
• Nonfatal Work-Related Motor Vehicle Injuries Treated in Emergency Departments in the United States, The American Journal of Industrial Medicine
• Motor Vehicle Safety, Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA)