Some people may think that being a truck driver is an easier job than others; sitting around cruising along streets and highways, stopping off for coffee and bite here and there. They fail to take into account the heavy lifting, the loading and unloading, hours and inevitable years of stress on your back, road conditions, and other drivers (who increasingly are more distracted than not) and the injuries truck drivers can sustain on an average day.
If you’ve sustained an injury on the job as a truck driver, we highly recommend consulting a Texas trucking accident to go over the details of your case and how you can seek compensation and from whom. You may be asking yourself, “Well, why not workers compensation?” The answer is: it’s a little tricky more often than not.
For a typical employee, if they are injured, or become sick, either on the job site or as a result of the work they perform, they are entitled to workers’ compensation to cover medical expenses and what would be lost pay from being out of work. With truck drivers, things get tricky quickly. Many companies don’t have their drivers luted as employees; rather, they are listed as contractors and/or owner-operators. This means that the company is not liable for paying out workers’ compensation to the truck driver if they are injured while working.
If you were injured in an accident while driving, but were not at fault, even if you are listed as an independent contractor by your employer, you can seek compensation for the damages to your vehicle and physical health from the driver at fault for the accident. The sad reality is that truck drivers injured on the job are often underrepresented and under covered for damages thanks to legal loopholes.
If you have been injured while working as a truck driver, we encourage you to contact our expert accident lawyers to determine if you are eligible for workers’ compensation through your employer, and what your options are if you are not covered. You shouldn’t need to suffer financially after a work-related injury and we’re here to fight on your behalf to make sure you’re taken care of. Call us today (505) 388-0066 for more information and to start the legal process.