Work Injuries – what you need to know – Part 7

 “But I wasn’t at work when it happened”

A work injury can occur outside of the workplace.  Some injured workers do not realise this and incorrectly believe they are only entitled to compensation if their injury occurs within their workplace.

It is common for work injuries to arise on a journey to or from work.  A journey injury can include a motor vehicle accident while a worker is travelling to or from work or a slip or trip injury while a worker is walking to or from their workplace.  Journey injuries can also arise when a worker is travelling to different work sites, an educational institution relevant to their work for training or study or to a social event that has been organised by their employer.  Travel between the workplaces of two different employers is also included.

The key to making a journey claim is for an injured worker to establish there is a “real and substantial connection” between their employment and their work injury.  As with other work injuries, an injured worker is entitled to be advised by Toby Tancred.  The Workers Compensation Independent Review Office (WIRO) can assist by providing funding for this legal advice.

For journey claims that arise out of motor vehicle accidents, there may be overlap between the workers compensation and motor vehicle accident schemes so it is even more important injured workers obtain expert legal advice.

WIRO provides funding to approved Solicitors to investigate your journey claim, provide advice to you as an injured worker, and deal with the employer and insurer on your behalf.  Toby Tancred is a WIRO accredited Solicitor and a Law Society Personal Injury Accredited Specialist with the experience, knowledge and ability to help all injured workers.