If you're an employee of a trucking company and have been injured in an accident while driving the truck, you are likely eligible for workers' compensation. The situation becomes murkier, however, if you are an independent contractor, and often depends on how much oversight your employer exercises over your work. If you are a tractor-trailer driver who has been injured on the job, our Missouri commercial and truck accidents lawyers can answer your questions and provide guidance on how you might collect workers' compensation to pay for medical care, time off work and other expenses related to your injury.
Truck drivers face many hazards related to their line of work, some of them obvious and some more subtle. For example, a driver injury may result from:
Commercial truck drivers also face health risks stemming from the very nature of their work. Drivers sit for long periods of time, punctuated by short bursts of exertion during loading and unloading, which can put them at risk for back injuries.
Workers' compensation is a state program, which presents unique complications for cases involving commercial trucking. For example, a trucker might live in one state, be employed by a trucking company in a second state and then be involved in an accident in a third state. When this happens, it can be difficult to know in which state to file a claim. Missouri commercial and truck accidents attorneys at The Law Firm of Webster & Carlton, can help you sort out the details of your trucking accident workers' compensation case.
We offer free initial consultations at our Springfield and Joplin offices. And we work on contingency, which means you don't pay us until we recover damages for you. When you need a lawyer with practical, focused workers' compensation experience, we are here to help. Call us toll free at 800-560-0822 (Springfield) or 888-351-9185 (Joplin) or use our contact form.