Injuries on Your Way to Work

If you get hurt on your way to or from work, your injuries may be covered by workers’ comp.

Although, in general, injuries sustained by an employee while commuting to and from work are outside of the workers’ compensation coverage, there are some exceptions. In a recent decision of Hohlt v. University of Minnesota, the Minnesota Supreme Court held that a state employee was entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for the injuries she sustained when she slipped and fell on an ice-covered sidewalk curb ramp while walking to her car after work. The fact that she was not on the clock when the incident happened did not matter because it happened during a reasonable period after her shift ended and she was “engaging in activities reasonably incidental to employment,” i.e. walking from work.

As a result of this decision, the injured worker was able to get her medical expenses paid, her wage loss reimbursed and get other compensation for having a hip replacement surgery. The attorneys at Farrish Johnson deal with cases similar to Hohlt’s on a regular basis. If you find yourself in a position where you get hurt while commuting to or from work, and your workers’ compensation claims is denied, give Yuri Jelokov call at 507-625-2525, for a free no obligation consultation.