NJ Woman Can Receive WC After Being Struck by Car in Employer’s Parking Lot

An appeals court ruled that a Morris County, NJ woman will receive workers’ comp benefits because she was hit by a car when she was walking in the employer-controlled parking lot to the county administration building where she worked.

The woman was out of work for 11 months after being hit by a car that ran a red light. She suffered multiple torn ligaments in her ankle as well as post-concussion injuries from her head hitting the pavement.

It was determined that her employer, Morris County, paid for 65 spots in a private garage about two blocks from the administration building, with one of the spots being designated for the female employee, She was hit while walking across the street to the entrance of the administration building. When she applied for workers’ comp benefits, the county denied that the accident arose out of her employment. They argued that the garage was not adjacent to the workplace and that they neither owned nor operated the lot.

However, the workers’ comp judge and appeals court concluded that by parking in her job-designated area, she “had entered the realm of her employer’s control…and thus had effectively arrived at the employer’s premises.”

This case is a good example of the benefits of hiring an experienced workers’ comp attorney. Some employers will try to deny that your injury is their responsibility as a way to save themselves some money, leaving the injured worker on her or his own to not only recuperate physically, but also try and recover financially. If you’ve been injured on the job, you may have a case and may be entitled to compensation. Contact the workers’ comp attorneys at O’Connor Law. We’re on your side.