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Highway Accidents and Workers Compensation

Highway accident is a designation or code or classification for a workplace accident that results in a worker being injured. Highway accident is an accident that takes place on a highway.

A highway is defined as a main public road. A highway is considered especially to be a road that connects towns and cities.

Highway accident, as it applies to workers compensation, usually refers to a worker who is injured in an accident on a highway while driving a motor vehicle in the course of doing their job for their employer. However, highway accident in a workers comp case can also involve a passenger in a motor vehicle, a pedestrian walking on or along a highway or a worker who is working on a highway in a construction or highway crew.

Highway accident is a leading cause of high-severity workers comp injuries. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, highway accident is the number one cause of fatal accidents on the job.

Types of Jobs With a Higher Risk for Highway Accident

There are several kinds of jobs where the risk for highway accident is greater. Some of these include:

• Drivers, such as truck, bus and postal drivers
• Highway workers
• Flaggers
• Construction workers and those who operate construction equipment or vehicles
• Delivery workers
• Couriers
• Gas and oilfield workers
• Police, firefighters and EMS

Possible Injuries Sustained from Work Related Highway Accident

There are many different types of injuries that may be sustained in a work related highway accident. Depending on the severity of the impact and the circumstances of the accident, injuries can occur to virtually any area of your body. Some of the possible injuries are:

• Neck injuries - These can be mild, as in neck strain and whiplash. However, they can be serious, as with disc injury and radiculopathy.
• Face injuries - Face injuries can result from things like the dashboard, steering wheel, car seats, airbag, shattered glass, side window or windshield. Face injuries can range all the way from cuts, bruises and scrapes to fractures, lacerations, major dental injuries or TMJ (temporomandibular disorders of the jaw).
• Back injuries - Some of these include fracture, sprain, strain, thoracic spine injury, lumbar spine injury or lumbar radiculopathy. It may take a long time for signs and symptoms of back injuries to begin, but they are often chronic (ongoing, continuing) and cause serious pain and discomfort.
• Head and brain injuries - This most often involves a closed head injury, which can be anywhere from a mild concussion to a traumatic brain injury.

In addition to physical injuries, a work related highway accident may also result in psychological injuries that may be either short-term or long-term. These include things like anxiety, stress and depression.

Can I get Workers Comp for my Work Related Highway Accident

You would probably like to know if your work related highway accident is covered by workers comp. The answer is, "Yes, it is." However, proving that your highway accident is work related can prove to be difficult. The best thing to do is to have a workers compensation lawyer on your side. Get a free evaluation now.